Municipal water authorities have to check for plenty of chemicals in tap water, following EPA guidelines. But there are also plenty of chemicals that are falling through the cracks, says an advocacy group. That group is worried about the safety of American children and women.

Olga Naidenko, Ph.D. is a senior scientist with Environmental Working Group of Washington, D.C. She addressed a letter to the EPA in August, 2008 (www.ewg.org/node/27005). On behalf of her advocacy group, she told the EPA that it should be setting water regulations that protect pregnant women and children from chemicals in drinking water.

Naidenko told the EPA that its listing process effectively “shields toxic water pollutants from regular scrutiny.” The process involves listing questionable chemicals that come to the EPA’s attention, and failing to act on requiring testing for most of them, she said.

There are eleven contaminants that are significant which are exempt at the moment from EPA regulation, she said. The reason? The EPA said that these contaminants were not found at high enough levels to cause concern, she said.

But her group, EWG, found the opposite after reviewing EPA data. For example, between 1998 and 2003, 486,000 people in six states were exposed to tap water contaminated with the herbicide dacthal. Other significant exposures were to toxins dieldrin (an insecticide), 1,3-dichloropropene (a soil fumigant), and aldrin (a neurotoxin form of dieldrin).

Naidenko also cited a 2002 USGS study by Kolpin and others (Environmental Science Technology 36(6)). This study found veterinary and human antibiotics, along with anti-microbial compounds and both prescription and non-prescription drugs, in streams. These streams can furnish drinking water. These compounds are currently not regulated, according to Naidenko.