The array of toxic pollutants in California drinking water could cause more than 15,000 cases of cancer, according to a peer-reviewed EWG study that is the first ever to assess the cumulative risk from all contaminants in the state’s public water systems.
The array of toxic pollutants in California drinking water could cause more than 15,000 cases of cancer, according to a peer-reviewed EWG study that is the first ever to assess the cumulative risk from all contaminants in the state’s public water systems.
In a paper published today in the journal Environmental Health, EWG scientists used a novel analytical method that calculated the combined health impacts of carcinogens and other toxic contaminants in 2,737 community water systems in California.
“This cumulative approach is common in assessing the health impacts of exposure to air pollutants but has never before been applied to drinking water contaminants,” said Tasha Stoiber, Ph.D., a senior scientist at EWG and the lead author. “Right now, policymakers set health limits one chemical at a time. This doesn’t match reality. Multiple contaminants are often detected in drinking water across the U.S.”
Read more at Environmental Working Group
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