Chromium-6 and Monona's Drinking Water

I recently looked into chromium-6 levels in Monona's drinking water. City staff reports that The city of Monona's most used well had "no detection."(Well #3 is located along Broadway/South Towne Drive near the Beltline).  Monona's other two wells had an average chromium-6 level of 1.24 ppb in the most recent testing. (Note: Monona's 2009 Waterworks Consumer Confidence Report showed total chromium at 2 ppb, but does not provide a separate test result for chromium 6.) 

The City of Madison Water Utility chromium webpage reports levels in its drinking water ranging from 0.4 to 1.8 ug/L or parts per billion (ppb).
 
All of these results are far lower than the EPA standard for total chromium (100 ppb), but EPA has not set a specific standard for chromium 6 (aka, hexavalent chromium) and all chromium is not created equally. The state of California has been considering adopting a 0.06 ppb chromium-6 standard (now reduced even farther to 0.02 ppb). The California Department of Public Health has considerable info. There are serious questions about whether such a standard is reasonably attainable.


Opinions vary on what are acceptable, reasonable levels, or safe levels of exposure to chromium-6 - or indeed whether there are such levels. The Environmental Working Group tested tap water in 35 cities. The average was 1.8 ppb. In that study Madison's water tested at 1.58 ppb. http://www.ewg.org/chromium6-in-tap-water

ABC News posted this story with contrary opinions from other scientists. (Scientists Say No Need for Alarm Over Chromium-6 in Drinking Water - Report on 'Erin Brockovich' Chemical' Called 'Alarmist').

While the story may be correct, I do take issue with couple things. The headline is like a fatherly pat on the head to all of us simple little people. "Don't worry, Father Knows Best". The sub-headline shouts that the EWG report was "alarmist". The story feels like the Official New and is really an opinion piece masquerading as straight news.

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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT CHROMIUM


DNR has a PDF on chromium-6. http://dnr.wi.gov/org/water/dwg/chromium.pdf

The Madison Water Utility also has some good info and resources:

Madison Water Utility: Frequently Asked Questions about Chromium 6

US EPA – Basic Information about Chromium in Drinking Water

US EPA – Statement on Chromium-6 in Drinking Water

Green Tuesdays Films & Lectures

See the films Flow and UW student short Holy Land, WI

When: Tue, November 9, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Where: Monona Public Library, 1000 Nichols Road, Monona, WI

Flow is Irena Salina’s award-winning documentary investigation into what experts label the most important political and environmental issue of the 21st Century – the world water crisis.

“An astonishingly wide-ranging film. An informed and heartfelt examination of the tug of war between public health and private interests.” – New York Times

“Lively and engaging…Smartly Done” – Los Angeles Times

Plus, student short Holy Land, WI. Some of Wisconsin’s most sacred land – fifteen effigy mounds – is under a farmer Frank’s feet. What will happen to the land when Frank is not here to protect it?

If you miss it in Monona, you can see it in four other communities. Check out the full calendar here.

About Green Tuesdays

A free series of films, presentations, and conversations on sustainability, Green Tuesdays in Monona are on the second and fifth Tuesdays of the month, from September through May. All are welcome. Whole Foods serves treats, so attendees are encouraged to come early for delightful food and drink.

Green Tuesdays, a project of The Natural Step Monona and the Monona Public Library, now reaches four additional communities: Mt. Horeb, Middleton, Cross Plains, and Oregon. To see the calendar for all Green Tuesday and Thursday dates, go to www.tnsmonona.org/green-tuesdays-green-thursdays.

Green Tuesdays is sponsored by The Natural Step Monona in collaboration with Oregon Working to Live Sustainably (OWLS), Mount Horeb Area Sustainability Network, RGPL Green Tuesdays (Cross Plains), the City of Middleton Sustainability Committee, Cottage Grove Green Tuesdays, and the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, and is supported by the Dane County Environmental Council.

Monona city council report

Here's are the outcomes from the Monona City Council Preview - February 1, 2010

Resolution Approving Participation in a County-Wide Radio System with Conditions. Tabled. Did not really understand why we tabled it. The resolution supports the county-wide system, but call on the county to pay the operating and maintenance costs.

Contract Building Inspection Services with the Village of McFarland. Replaces Independent Inspections. Passed after yet more discusssion

Authorization to Proceed with a Water Rate Increase and Authorization to Change Public Fire Protection Ranges. Both passed with referral back to the Public Works Committee. We also directed staff to evaluate instituting an inclining rate structure for residential users that use price incentives to reward the conservation of water.   

An Ordinance 2-10-612, Updating Section 6-1-4 of the Code of Ordinances Regarding Sidewalks was briefly discussed and referred to Public Works Committee (where it received narrow 4-3 approval). 

 

The committee expressed some frustration that the city council did not follow its previous recommendation on this and other items. I have heard this refrain from the Public Safety Commission among others. The thought seems to be that if the council does not follow a committee recommendation that we did not listen to their advice. Not true. The council values and does listen - I know I do - to recommendations of of volunteer committees. Sometimes we simply do not agree. Sometimes there is simply a difference of views on policy grounds, at other times the council may be taking the broader picture into account, but I don't think we ever ignore the committee recommendation.