UNITED STATES
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
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Environmental News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MONDAY, JULY 19, 1976
EPA SEEKS INFORMATION ON CONTROL OF CHEMICALS IN DRINKING
The Environmental Protection Agency has asked for ideas
and comments from the public on ways to address the problem
posed by contamination of drinking water supplies by organic
chemicals. In an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
(ANPRM) appearing in the Federal Register on July 14, 1976,
the Agency describes the problem, presents a series of~alter-
native regulatory approaches, and solicits additional data
and public comment.
"Controlling the contamination of public water supplies
by organic chemicals has been one of the most important prob-
lems facing the Agency in its continuing efforts to insure
that safe drinking water is available to all Americans," said
Victor J. Kimm, EPA's Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water
Supply. "We are seeking additional information from the
public to help us formulate a regulatory program that is both
feasible and effective in limiting the presence of harmful
chemicals."
"We have already expended considerable effort to deter-
mine the sources, nature, extent and health significance of
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organic chemical contamination, as well as to formulate a
number of regulatory and treatment alternatives," Kimm said.
"But we still have much to learn; therefore we must take advan-
tage of expertise and information available outside the Agency
to insure that the regulatory program we implement is truly
realistic and effective."
The ANPRM gives the legislative background to the issue
of safe drinking water, presents information on the health
effects of various contaminants, describes and compares
possible regulatory options, and requests any information
available from outside the Agency that could aid in making
regulatory decisions.
The ANPRM was reviewed in April 1976 by the National
Drinking Water Advisory Council, which was established to advise
EPA on its regulatory activities mandated by the 1974 Safe
Drinking Water Act.
There are thousands of specific organic contaminants
which may be present in very small concentrations in drinking
water. Since most of these are naturally occurring compounds,
they are probably not of serious health concern. However,
there are other compounds of potential health significance,
including both synthetic chemicals and by-products of current
disinfection practices. It is this group of materials which
is of prime concern to EPA.
In the ANPRM, EPA asks interested persons to participate
in the formulation of the regulatory program by submitting
written data, views or arguments to the Agency's Office of
Water Supply (WH-550), Criteria and Standards Division, 401
M Street, SW., Washington, D.C. 20460.
# # #
US EPA
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