Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., the incoming chairman of the Senate environment committee, has introduced legislation that would force the federal government to set a standard and monitor for perchlorate contamination in drinking water. “We must do everything within our power to make drinking water safe for every American family,” Boxer said. “Perchlorate threatens the health of those most vulnerable, and these bills will go a long way toward protecting them.”
Sufficient exposure to perchlorate can disrupt thyroid function and lead to developmental problems particularly in young children. Sources of perchlorate include rocket fuel, fireworks, explosives, and airbag deployment systems.
Perchlorate contamination of drinking water has been found in at least 35 states. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has studied the issue, but so far it has not issued a standard for safe perchlorate levels in drinking water.
One of the bills Boxer introduced would direct the EPA to promptly establish a drinking water standard for perchlorate. The second bill would require testing of tap water for perchlorate contamination and the notification of the public when drinking water is contaminated.
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