Viewpoints
Fix the problem
By Ralph Mirsky
October 01, 2005
Saturday PM
KPU says that the only cancer risk we face from the Haloacidic
problem in our water is from long term use and that their is
no problem with short term use.
KPU states that our city water
in its present state, containing Haloacidic acid poses no risk
unless it is consumed over a long period of time.
Yet they can't tell us how
long the Haloacidic acid has been in the city water as they just
began testing this year. So when they say it poses no problem
they're playing with us. I've personally spoken to KPU representatives
about the problem and they won't discuss the probability that
the problem has been there for a long time. The truth is, they
"Don't Know". Their pat answer is to say that they
were just required to test this year and the problem exists today
according to test data.
Please let me quote a recent
article posted on Newsweek online and listed below, "It
is so far unknown if smaller amounts do any damage."
Recent article:
"Disinfection byproducts:
A surprising form of contamination is from the chlorine used
to kill bacteria in water. The disinfectant thwarts sometimes
deadly diseases like cholera and dysentery. But when it combines
with organic material like leaves or treated sewage, it forms
its own carcinogen that, when consumed in large amounts over
long periods, can pose an increased risk of cancer. (It is so
far unknown if smaller amounts do any damage.) Balancing disinfections
and its health risks presents a difficult challenge to water
suppliers. Currently 80 percent of Americans drink chlorinated
water; but, according to the EPA, it is increasingly being replaced
by chloramines, which are less likely to produce harmful byproducts.
To reduce risk at no cost, Maas recommends setting a pitcher
of water on the counter for five to six hours so the byproducts
can evaporate. Or buy an activated charcoal filter."
Truthfully, KPU doesn't have
a clue and we need to spend the money, fix the problem and ease
the concern, too many people in our community are suffering from
cancer not to.
Ralph Mirsky
Ketchikan, AK - USA
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