The Water and Health Advisory Council announced that Dr. Janet Anderson, human health toxicologist and environmental risk assessor, has joined the Council to help advance its mission of bringing clarity and context to fast-moving drinking water issues.
Anderson joins us with 15 years of experience providing toxicology, risk assessment, and risk management support to federal agencies, private industry, and municipal clients. She specializes in emerging contaminants and the translation of human health toxicology into state and federal environmental regulations.
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A recent study conducted by the US Water Alliance found that more than two million Americans live without running water and basic indoor plumbing, and many more without sanitation. While the US has already made great progress in providing clean drinking water and sanitation, many people still do not have this privilege. This report outlines a plan of action to ensure equitable water access for all Americans and highlights what various communities have already done to ensure this for their residents.
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Council members Kathryn Sorensen and Manny Teodoro, along with the Director of Navajo Nation Division of Natural Resources, Bitdah Becker, recently collaborated to comment on the monthly water bill. The three co-authors made the argument that community water systems form the foundation of public health, economic opportunity, and quality of life and bills should be paid accordingly by the communities that utilize the systems. |
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Council Members Chad Seidel and Manny Teodoro were recently featured in an AP News article that highlighted the challenges that small communities face related to resource allocation for water systems and subsequent access to clean drinking water. While water systems in larger cities tend to gain more attention and attract more resources, water providers serving smaller cities in the U.S. tend to violate twice as many health standards than bigger cities.
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By the end of this year, the Environmental Protection Agency has promised to propose new national drinking water standards for PFOA and PFOS, two of the most studied pollutants among the thousands of compounds known as PFAS, or, more colloquially, “forever chemicals.” |
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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of thousands of chemicals, two of which are known to be toxic to humans. These two chemicals, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), are no longer produced in the United States. However, they have recently been a topic of public concern, especially in regard to drinking water contamination. Other PFAS chemicals are used in consumer products including semiconductors, cellphones, textiles, renewable energy, and medical devices. Visit our website to discover science-based answers to some of the most pressing PFAS questions.
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Pennsylvania has enacted a statewide drinking water limit on two forms of highly toxic chemicals, nicknamed “forever chemicals.” The rule, published earlier this month in the official register of state government agency actions, sets a limit of 14 parts per trillion for perfluorooctanoic acid and 18 parts per trillion for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid.
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U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris will host a summit at the White House on Friday to speed up the removal of lead pipes across America - an issue she has previously called a public health crisis.
Harris will be joined by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Michael Regan, along with other representatives from state and local government, water utilities, labor leaders, NGOs, and the private sector, a White House official said.
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One of the wettest two-week periods on record in California brought much-needed water to its reservoirs and snow to its mountains, but researchers and officials said it would take several more winter storms to make a dent in the drought that has sapped reservoirs, fallowed farmland and forced homeowners to let lawns turn brown. |
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Hundreds of homes outside the boundaries of Scottsdale can no longer get water from the city, so their owners are living a worst-case scenario of drought in the West. |
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