California has taken a significant step towards protecting public health by establishing a drinking water limit on hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium-6. This toxic chemical compound gained notoriety through the movie “Erin Brockovich,” which chronicled the real-life story of a community’s fight against water contamination.
The State Water Resources Control Board unanimously passed the proposal, making California the first state in the nation to specifically target this heavy metal.
The new standard, set at 10 parts per billion (about 10 drops of water in a swimming pool), is expected to reduce the number of cancer and kidney disease cases caused by long-term ingestion of chromium-6. However, some community members and health advocates argue that the limit should be closer to the public health goal of 0.02 parts per billion, which scientists say poses no significant health risks.
Public water providers have warned that the new standard will lead to higher water costs for customers, with the financial burden falling disproportionately on disadvantaged communities. The state water board estimates that complying with the new limit will cost public water systems between $483,446 and $172.6 million annually.
Chromium-6 is naturally occurring and can also be produced through industrial processes. It is used in various industries, including electroplating, stainless steel production, and leather tanning. Studies have shown that inhaling chromium-6 can cause lung cancer, and recent research has linked ingestion of the chemical to intestinal and oral cancer in rodents.
While some researchers have criticized these studies, citing the high concentrations of chromium-6 given to the rodents, the California environmental health hazard agency is currently updating its public health goal for the chemical. The new standard set by the state water board represents a lifetime cancer risk of one in 2,000 for those exposed to drinking water with 10 parts per billion of chromium-6 for 70 years.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.