Bad Things In RI's Drinking Water: New Tap Water Database

NEWPORT, RI — A new U.S. tap water report is out, and the news is not comforting. Although all the water companies in Rhode Island met federal drinking water standards, the bad news is, a passing grade from the Environmental Protection Agency may not mean the water is safe. According to the Environmental Working Group, a D.C.-based non-profit, pollutants are found in "virtually all public water drinking systems" in America. Some of the contamination is known to cause cancer and other health problems.

Environmental Working Group, which has produced influential studies on water safety and on chemicals used in cosmetics, says federal guidelines often reflect political and economic compromises and outdated reporting. The group has come up with a free database reflecting scientists' opinions about water safety. EWG is also recommending purchasing water filters.

To check out your water safety, click here.

The vast majority of utilities are in compliance with federal regulations, the organization said, "but their water still often contains contaminants in concentrations exceeding the levels that scientists say pose health risks. Many of the existing legal limits are set far above levels that are truly health protective. Because the Environmental Protection Agency has not added a new chemical to the list of regulated contaminants in 20 years, more than half of the contaminants detected in U.S. tap water had no regulatory limit at all, meaning they could legally be present at any concentration and that utilities don’t have to test for them or tell their customers about them."

In Rhode Island, the report shows the number of contaminants in each drinking water system, plus other pollutants, and also indicates the source of the contamination. In Newport, for example, the biggest source of pollution is industrial.

Several Tiverton camp grounds produced clean water with zero contaminants or pollution.

One water company in Coventry, Paige, has failed to comply with the federal reporting requirements, but the water itself met the EPA standards.

Although Newport had the most contaminants exceeding the environmental group's health guidelines, Kent County had the greatest number of other contaminants. It had 11. Cumberland had 10. Newport, North Kingstown and Pawtucket had 8.

One of those other contaminants, Nitrate, has been a problem in Middletown, but nonetheless, all the systems met the EPA's guidelines.

“Just because your tap water gets a passing grade from the government doesn’t always mean it’s safe,” said EWG President Ken Cook said. “It’s time to stop basing environmental regulations on political or economic compromises, and instead listen to what scientists say about the long-term effects of toxic chemicals and empower Americans to protect themselves from pollutants even as they demand the protective action they deserve from government.”

In Rhode Island, EWG tracked 37 contaminants across the state’s water supply. The following contaminants have been detected above health limits:

• Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) which are linked to bladder cancer, skin cancer and fetal development issues
• Chromium (hexavalent) which is linked to cancer, liver damage and productive system damages
• Arsenic which is linked to cancer.
• Benzo[a]pyrene which is linked to cancer; damage the immune, nervous and reproductive systems; and can harm developing fetuses.
• Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) which is linked to cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes.
• Chlorate which is linked to impaired to thyroid function, making chlorate exposure most harmful during pregnancy and childhood.
• Radium-226 which is linked to cancer
• Radium-228 which is linked to cancer
• 1,4-Dioxane which is classified by the EPA as a likely human carcinogen.
• Dibromochloromethane which is linked to cancer and harm to fetuses

These contaminants were detected above legal guidelines:

• Uranium which is linked to cancer.

Here is a summary of the biggest water companies in Rhode Island and their scores.