According to a national report released on September 20, 2016, dangerous levels of chromium-6 are contaminating tap water consumed by millions of Americans. Chromium-6 is the carcinogenic chemical that was brought to the national forefront by the popular movie “Erin Brockovich,” starring Julia Roberts.
Chromium is a naturally occurring element found in rocks, animals, plants, soil, and volcanic dust and gases. A chromium compound known as “Chromium-6” is generally produced by industrial processes. The compound is widely used in electroplating, stainless steel production, leather tanning, textile manufacturing, and wood preservation. The U.S. is one of the world’s leading producers of chromium compounds.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has never specified a specific limit for chromium-6 in drinking water, despite the fact that the chemical is carcinogenic. The National Toxicology Program has conducted studies showing that sodium dichromate dehydrate, a compound containing chromium-6, causes cancer in laboratory animals following oral ingestion.
The national report released in September 2016 reveals that throughout the nation, the tap water of 218 million Americans contains levels of chromium-6 that the group considers dangerous. The report revealed that levels of chromium-6 are at or above 0.03 parts per billion (ppb) in 75% of the samples tested in local water utilities between 2013 and 2015. Further, seven million Americans receive tap water with levels of chromium-6 that are higher than 10 ppb.
Despite it being well known that chromium-6 has contaminated drinking water in the past, the contaminant in our drinking water is still unregulated. Perhaps now that the problem ranges on a larger scale than originally believed, action will finally be taken.