Western Exposure

EPA to consider setting drinking water standard for perchlorate

By August 7, 2009March 19th, 2015No Comments

Perchlorate , a chemical used in rocket fuel and other explosives, can cause potential health concerns for pregnant women, infants and children, but there is no maximum drinking water standard and no requirement to test for it. That’s a problem in New Mexico, where perchlorate has been found in groundwater at Los Alamos National Laboratories, Sandia National Laboratories and White Sands Missile Range, writes Staci Matlock of The New Mexican. The chemical, which also occurs naturally, has been found near drinking wells as well. But the EPA doesn’t regulate the chemical in drinking water. Now the agency is reconsidering whether to set a standard that would in turn require drinking water facilities to test for the chemical.

Carol Smith

Carol Smith

Co-Founder

Leave a Reply