A highly toxic and unnecessary
treatment alternative
CH
LO
RIN
E
AM
MO
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Chlorine Most effective disinfectant for drinking
water Effectively kills e-coli, rotaviruses and
polio 1 Successfully used nation-wide over 100
years Dissipates quickly - sparing environment
and minimally affecting people
So, Why Chloramine?
Organic Material + Chlorine = Disinfection Raw Water
Byproducts
(DBP)DBPs of Chlorine
Trihalomethanes (TTHM)Haloacetic Acids (HAA)
DISINFECTANTS AND DISINFECTION BY-PRODUCTS
(TTHMs) Trihalomethanes 35.6 ppb 22 - 58ppb
(HAAs) Haloacetic Acid 40.5 ppb 19 - 42 ppb
Free Residual Chlorine 1.48 ppm 0.2 - 1.9 ppm
Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority Charlottesville, VA
RWSA’s THMs ( regulated at 80 ppb) and HAAs (regulated at 60 ppb) are well within regulated limit of Stage 2 regs.
Need to reduce TTHMs and HAAs
Options offered by EPA:
Better filtration of organics before disinfection
Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)UV Light
Chlorine DioxideChloramine
Cheapest alternative = chloramine
CHLORAMINEADVANTAGES:
Ammonia binds to chlorine – maintains residual in longer lines – no
booster needed - reduces reactivity to organic material - reducing formation of regulated TTHMs
and HAAs
- HOWEVER………
CHLORAMINEDISADVANTAGES:
Adverse SHORT TERM health effectsAdverse LONG TERM health effectsLEAST EFFECTIVE BIOCIDEFatal to aquatic life and watershedsCorrodes pipes and fixtures/leaches leadHomeland Security riskCan’t be filtered out, does not dissipateWater wasted in excessive flushing
HEALTHEFFECTS
SHORT TERM HEALTH EFFECTS
Thousands of people in over 20 states reporting:
Persistent skin rashes - burnsPennsylvania
Exposed to chloraminated Not exposed to water for 3 minutes chloramine
In Colorado
In Vermont
Respiratory - Asthma like symptoms Mono-Chloramine speciates into di-, tri-Chloramine with change
in temperature and pH Tri-chloramine – known respiratory
irritant In study intended to measure dermal effect – 100%
of test mice died from inhaling tri-chloramine vapor
Digestive ailments –
Reflux Colitis
Painful stomach
LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS
Organic Material + Chloramine = Nitrogen
in Raw Water Disinfection Byproducts
(NDBP)
DBPs of Chloramine N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA)
Hydrazine (rocket fuel)DXAA
Iodoacetic Acid
LONG TERM HEALTH EFFECTS:Creates a new, more toxic family of byproducts NDMA HYDRAZINE DXAA IODOACETIC
ACID * Up to 100,000 times MORE TOXIC than TTHM/HAA
* More toxic at smaller doses * Genotoxic, Cytotoxic and Mutagenic * Cannot be filtered out * Absorbed through skin in shower, bath, pool * NDMA and Hydrazine = ‘probable’ human carcinogens * Formed in distribution system
Iodoacetic Acids-most toxic DBPs found
Nationwide DBP occurrence study iodo-acids were identified for the first time as DBPs in drinking water disinfected with chloramines.
Environ. Sci. Technol. 2006, 40, 7175−7185Environmental Health Perspectives Dec 2011
Sources of iodine compoundssoilsea water intrusioniodinated contrast media from
hospitals
Pharmaceuticals as NDMA precursors
Commonly used drugs form Nitrosamines in chloraminated water
Zantac (stomach acid reducer, ulcer)Unisom (sleep aid)Imitrex (migraine therapy)Allerest 12 Hour (antihistamine)Axid (ulcer, heartburn)Cardizem (high blood pressure, angina)Clistin (antihistamine)Tetracycline (antibiotic)
Common household products can react with Chloramine to form NDMAs
Commonly used shampoos, conditioners and soaps contain ingredients that can react with chloramine to form NDMAs
Suave shampoo and Dawn dish detergent positively identified as forming NDMAs in chloraminated water
INEFFECTIVE BIOCIDEChloramine is the LEAST effective
biocide of all the available treatments
* 2,000 X less effective in killing e-coli, *100,000 X less effective in killing rotavirus
*ineffective against Giardia and Cryptosporidium
FISH KILLS
Documented Fish Kills in VA, CA & BC
* McLean in NOVA 9 miles of stream killed “everything down to the earthworms”
•Henrico Co Fish Killin Feb 2012
CORROSIVE – LEACHES LEADWashington D.C. – 4
years – EPA and CDC ignored and hid evidence of high levels of lead in the water after chloramine started
–law suits by parents are pending
– 1000’s of children exposed for 4 years
- no amount of lead is safe for children.
Dr. Marc Edwards exposed the levels through the press.
Other municipalities had excessive lead in tap water after chloramine was implemented
West View, PA- * 19 out of 98 homes
elevated lead levels * levels of up to 130 ppb
* > 8X the EPA maximum
Greenville, NCDuke study
Chapel Hill, NC Lead-free brass fittings
Poughkeepsie, NYCould not control lead
leaching despite pH changes and corrosion inhibitors
Reverted back to chlorine
Poughkeepsie NYMarch 2012 Water Board Meeting Minutes:
“Keith B......stated that his crews had to flush frequently wasting millions of gallons of water. Keith stated he also had multiple fire hydrant leaks. Sean E....... stated it is important that we capture what we know now to make decisions. Sean expressed concern that any action taken consider the life time costs not just capital expenses."
Poughkeepsie NY (2)From Steven Goldstein:
Randy Alstadt, Water Plant Administrator for the city of Poughkeepsie said, "Never Again", would they use chloramine. It was cheap cheap but they paid a big price with medical issues; rashes, the corrosion of pipes, etc. It caused the city more headaches than ever imagined and the short term savings was not a bargain. I shared his contact information with the Rutland City BOA and Public Works Commissioner for them to compare notes and learn a lesson. He also stated that their main concern was the well-being and safety of the residents and chloramine did not prove to be a benefit."
Chloramine pits copper pipeCalifornia – Developer
suing water authority for pitted copper pipes throughout new development.
Seeking more than $20 million in damages, citing product liability, negligence, private nuisance and breach of warranty.
Chloramine is destructive to plumbing
Destroys rubber plumbing gaskets
Causes pipe corrosion (leaching lead and other dangerous metals)
Shortens lifespan of appliances Hot water heater
HOMELAND SECURITYRemember chlorine + ammonia is more stable,
less reactive
- Intentional contamination of our water –Chlorine will react – levels will drop –alarms will go offChloramine will not readily react – levels will NOT drop and no alarms will go off
FILTRATION Home v. Water treatment facility Point of Use and Whole House Filters
* only reduces the mono-chloramine * does not affect di- and tri- chloramine* does not reduce or eliminate toxic byproducts* does not protect you at school, work, vacation,
family homes, hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, etc
* expensive + continuing expense – paying for protection from water we are paying to receive
• Most households cannot afford effective filtration
WASTES WATERChloramines allow build-up of biofilm in
distribution system Necessitates annual “chlorine burns” to clean
distribution system of bioslime. Reporting DBPs are exempted by EPA during burns
Causes water system bio-fouling forcing utilities to discharge pollution into our environment and wasting massive amounts of drinking water.
Example--Pinellas Co, FL-flushing volume increased from 5.7 to 35 million gal/month.
Poughkeepsie, NY-excessive flushing due to corrosion
Municipalities that rejected chloramine:Seminole Co FL 2012Leesburg VA 2011Highland Park IL “upgraded to chlorine” 2011Pittsburg PA 2011Poughkeepsie NY 2011 West Columbia SC 2007
States that do not use chloramine:AK AL CT GA ID NM RI UT
States where <1% of the population are on chloramine systems:AR DE HI MD NV NY OH WV
ADVANTAGES: DISADVANTAGES:
1. maintains residual effects 1. Short term health effects
2. reduces TTHMs and 2. Long term health effects
HAAs 3. Ineffective biocide4. Fish kills and watersheds5. Lead leaching-pipe pitting6. Homeland Security risk7. can’t be filtered, boiled out8. Wastes water from
excessive flushing
Making a Case for Granular Activated Carbon
as a Water Treatment Option
Carbon removes organic compounds via adsorption
• Extremely large surface/pore space area, one gram of GAC has a surface area in excess of a tennis court.
• Contaminants adsorb into micropores within the GAC particles.
• Disinfection Byproducts (DBPs)• Mercury and Cadmium• Natural Organic Matter• Synthetic Organic Chemicals (specifically:benzo(a)pyrene, di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate, di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate, hexachlorobenzene, dioxin)• Radionuclides
GAC is an EPA BAT for the following contaminants
Water Treatment Diagram
Water treatment plant
Hazen and Sawyer
Integrated Resource Management
Chloramine
Conversion
South Rivanna 10,720,000 2,520,000 3,336,000
North Rivanna 1,800,000 420,000 1,200,000
Observatory 5,780,000 1,260,000 469,000
Capital costs total 18,300,000 4,200,000 5,005,000
O & M annual 991,000 260,382 102,000
GAC Comparison Between H&S and Integrated Resource Management
July 25 Public HearingFour Govt Boards Represented
Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority
Charlottesville City CouncilAlbemarle Board of SupervisorsAlbemarle County Service Authority
What Can I Do?ATTEND THE PUBLIC HEARING: Wed, July 25, 7pmALBEMARLE COUNTY OFFICE BLDG Lane Auditorium
EXPRESS YOUR CONCERNS TO THOSE IN CHARGE:
Cville City Council: [email protected] Alb. County Board of Supervisors: [email protected] RWSA: [email protected] Alb County Service Authority: www.acsanet.com/board.html
Attend this meeting: RWSA (Rivanna Water & Sewer Authority): Tues 7/24, 2:15pm Moores Creek Wastewater Plant, 695 Moores Creek Ln
LEARN MORE FROM THESE LINKS:
www.facebook.com/ CharlottesvilleAlbemarleResidentsAgainstChloraminewww.chloramine.orgwww.chloramineinfocenter.netwww.vce.org/chloramine.html www.transitioncville.org
What Can I Do?
SIGN THIS PETITION: Include a comment to say that you DO NOT want Chloramine in our water: ww.tinyurl.com/nochloramine