The American Water Works Association (AWWA) will present results of a national perchlorate occurrence study during a Feb. 9 webcast, providing a comprehensive look at where the substance has been found and potential impacts on water systems.
The EPA is considering regulating perchlorate, a chemical used in rocket fuel, missiles, fireworks, explosives and airbag inflators, under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) in January released a report on health risks associated with perchlorate to inform EPA’s effort to set a drinking water standard.
"The AWWA perchlorate occurrence study should yield useful information for the development of a protective federal drinking water regulation," said Tom Curtis, deputy executive director of AWWA. "The drinking water community strongly supports the development of a regulation based on the best available science. A national drinking water regulation would provide consistent cleanup standards at perchlorate contamination sites."
AWWA also delivered a letter to EPA today urging the agency to regulate perchlorate "as expeditiously as feasible consistent with the requirements of the Safe Drinking Water Act." The letter notes that AWWA does not support legislative deadlines for the development of the regulation.
In addition to information on the national occurrence study, the webcast will provide insight on how results from the NAS report may translate into drinking water standards. Presenters will include: Dr. Richard Johnston, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and chair of the National Research Council Committee, the operating arm of NAS; J. Alan Roberson, AWWA director of Regulatory Affairs; Sarah Clark, senior project manager, HDR Inc., an Omaha-based engineering consultant firm; and Phil Brandhuber, Ph.D., project manager, HDR Inc. AWWA deputy executive director Tom Curtis will moderate the webcast, which will run from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Registration is available at www.awwa.org/education/webcasts.
AWWA is an authoritative resource for knowledge, information, and advocacy to improve the quality and supply of drinking water around the globe. The largest organization of water professionals in the world, AWWA advances public health, safety and welfare by uniting the efforts of the drinking water community.
Source: AWWA
