NYT Investigation Reveals Millions Exposed to Cancer-Causing Agents in Tap Water

A new New York Times investigation uncovered damning evidence that much of the tap water in the United States is unsafe, and that the EPA has failed to punish violators of the Safe Drinking Water Act even in cases where cancer-causing agents such as arsenic and uranium were detected in the water supply.

According to the front-page article published Monday:

"More than 20 percent of the nation’s water treatment systems have violated key provisions of the Safe Drinking Water Act over the last five years, according to a New York Times analysis of federal data.

That law requires communities to deliver safe tap water to local residents. But since 2004, the water provided to more than 49 million people has contained illegal concentrations of chemicals like arsenic or radioactive substances like uranium, as well as dangerous bacteria often found in sewage.

Regulators were informed of each of those violations as they occurred. But regulatory records show that fewer than 6 percent of the water systems that broke the law were ever fined or punished by state or federal officials, including those at the Environmental Protection Agency, which has ultimate responsibility for enforcing standards."

The timing of the NYT report coincides with a Congressional hearing today in which the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will question high-ranking EPA officials about drinking-water safety laws and their enforcement. According to the NYT, "the EPA is expected to announce a new policy for how it polices the nation’s 54,700 water systems."

It's certainly time for something to change. The current regulations need to be overhauled, but more importantly, they need to be enforced. Americans are being told that their drinking water is safe, when in reality millions of people every year are being exposed to harmful bacteria and contaminants that have been linked to illnesses and deadly diseases.

Violations have occurred in every state, and while some problems were fixed quickly, others were longer term. Consider these statistics from the Times investigation, a followup to this summer's Toxic Waters series:

"Scientific research indicates that as many as 19 million Americans may become ill each year due to just the parasites, viruses and bacteria in drinking water. Certain types of cancer — such as breast and prostate cancer — have risen over the past 30 years, and research indicates they are likely tied to pollutants like those found in drinking water.

More than three million Americans have been exposed since 2005 to drinking water with illegal concentrations of arsenic and radioactive elements, both of which have been linked to cancer at small doses.

Federal regulators fined or punished fewer than 8 percent of water systems that violated the arsenic and radioactive standards. The E.P.A., in a statement, said that in a majority of situations, state regulators used informal methods — like providing technical assistance — to help systems that had violated the rules.But many systems remained out of compliance, even after aid was offered, according to E.P.A. data. And for over a quarter of systems that violated the arsenic or radioactivity standards, there is no record that they were ever contacted by a regulator, even after they sent in paperwork revealing their violations."