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Perchlorate, which appeared on the first ContaminantCandidate List in 1999, is not currently regulated,but the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) iscontinuing to look at available data in order to determinewhether a maximum contaminant level (MCL)should be set. The occurrence of perchlorate is a keyfactor that could affect the outcome of USEPA's regulatoryassessment.Brandhuber and colleagues compiled data from existingperchlorate surveys, those done for the first UnregulatedContaminant Monitoring Rule as well as statesurveys done by Arizona, California, Massachusetts, andTexas. They found that perchlorate was detected in 26states, Puerto Rico, and the Mariana Islands and in atleast one source of approximately 5% of the large(i.e., 10,000 people) public water systems in the UnitedStates. The results of a 2007 phone survey indicate thatsome 50 mgd of potable water production has beentaken off line as a result of perchlorate contamination.When detected, perchlorate was generally present inlow concentrations ( 12 g/L). If the USEPA decided toset an MCL for perchlorate, approximately 1% of allsystems would be affected by a 20-g/L MCL and 4%would be affected by a 2-g/L MCL.This study will help USEPA understand the extent ofperchlorate occurrence in U.S. drinking water, and couldreduce the likelihood that USEPA will set a nationalMCL for perchlorate. Includes 42 references, tables, figures.

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Edition: Vol. 101 - No. 11 Published: 11/01/2009 Number of Pages: 11File Size: 1 file , 850 KB