In August, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) opened a public comment period regarding the potential health impacts from exposure to perchlorate through drinking water.

EPA is re-evaluating the need to collect data on the level of health concern, the frequency of occurrence of perchlorate in drinking water, and the opportunity for health risk reduction through a national primary drinking water standard.

A key focus is the impact of perchlorate exposure to infants and developing children, in addition to pregnant women and their developing fetuses.

Organizations including Rosemere Neighborhood Association, Citizens for Safe Water Around Badger, Clean Water Action, Environmental Justice Coalition for Water, Children’s Environmental Health Network, and many others across the United States submitted public comment letters expressing:

“the belief that the potential health impacts from exposure to perchlorate through drinking water are significant and that they warrant prompt regulation to protect public health and safety. Setting a drinking water standard will provide the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) with a “meaningful opportunity for health risk reduction for persons served by public water systems.” Consequently, EPA should move as quickly as possible to establish a more protective reference dose for perchlorate and then to promulgate a maximum contaminant level (MCL) for perchlorate that is no higher than one part per billion (ppb).”

Read full public comment letters here:

Signed Perchlorate Letter

Children’s Environmental Health Network Perchlorate Comments

For more information on the EPA and perchlorate click here