Millions of people across the US are being served drinking water polluted by chromium-6, arsenic, and nitrate - contaminants known to cause cancer and other health problems. A new report and interactive map from the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reveal the contamination hot spots.
The report claims that many regulations are outdated and focus on regulating only one chemical at a time. This approach fails to reflect real-world exposure to chemical mixtures. EWG's analysis suggests that updating treatment strategies to filter multiple co-occurring contaminants together could prevent an estimated 50,000 cancer cases because many of these cancer-causing contaminants could be filtered all at once. This modern approach would not only improve public health but also make better use of resources.
The data confirms the public health benefits of a modern approach. It is now a matter of political will.
