Cancer-Causing Contaminants Fill Out Pittsburgh Water, Study Shows

PITTSBURGH, PA - Carcinogens and contaminants were found in Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority system, a study released Wednesday revealed. The report by the independent nonprofit organization the Environmental Working Group did not indicate the company violated Environmental Protection Agency regulations or standards.

But what’s legal isn’t necessarily safe when it comes to most any water system’s supply, according to Nneka Leiba, director of Healthy Living Science at the EWG. “There are chemicals that have been linked to cancer, for example, that are found above health-based limits, or health guidelines, in the water of more than 250 million Americans,” Leiba said.

EWG, in conjunction with outside scientists, assessed health-based guidelines for hundreds of chemicals found in our water across the country and compared them to the legal limits. The law often permits utilities to allow these dangerous chemicals to pollute our waters.

The authority did not immediately respond to requests for comments on EMG’s findings.

Those findings indicated there were six carcinogens and nine other contaminants detected in 2015 for which annual utility averages exceeded an EWG-selected health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority; or chemicals detected under the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule program in 2013 to 2015, for which annual utility averages exceeded a health guideline established by a federal or state public health authority.

The carcinogens:

• Bromodichloromethane (linked to harm to child and fetuses, as well as reproductive difficulties. The Department of Health and Human Services has determined that bromodichloromethane is reasonably an­ticipated to be a human carcinogen)

• Chloroform (linked to cancer and fetal development issues)

• Chromium (linked to cancer, liver damage and productive system damages)

• Dibromochloromethane (linked to cancer and harm to fetuses)

• Radiological contaminants (increases risk of cancer and may harm fetal development)

• Total trihalomethanes (linked to bladder cancer, skin cancer and fetal development issues)

The contaminants included 1.4 Dioxane, Barium, Bromoform, Chlorate, Chromium, Fluoride, Haloacetic acids, Nitrate and Strontium.

In addition to having the carcinogens and contaminants, the authority has made headlines in recent months for having exceeded a significant lead threshold for more than a year. The agency is under a Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection edict to replace authority-owned lead water lines.

Reporting by Cody Fenwick/Patch national staff.

Photo: USEPA Environmental-Protection-Agency.