OKLAHOMA CITY Lawmakers on Thursday took a look at a type of metal commonly found in the water supply, and discussed what can be done to decrease it.
The House Public Health Committee learned about chromium-6 Thursday morning. Also known as hexavalent chromium, the heavy metal naturally occurs in the environment and has been used in various industrial applications throughout history.
State Rep. Jacob Roserants, D-Norman, organized the study to learn why there are high levels of chromium 6 in certain areas of the state.
Chromium-6 is a carcinogenic chemical, perhaps most known as the metal that poisoned the community of Hinkley, California. From 1952 to 1966, PG&E used chromium-6 to combat corrosion at the Hinkley gas compressor station. The utility company was found guilty of dumping the chemical into a local pond. It was made famous by the 2000 film “Erin Brockovich.”
Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist with Environmental Working Group, said if a community has high levels of hexavalent chromium in their water system, it’s likely the result of industrial activity.
“It can occur naturally through various processes in nature, often in arid conditions and deserts and whatnot. You may have some hexavalent chromium, but if you are finding chromium in the environment, it is most commonly in that trivalent chromium-3 form,” Stoiber said. “So, if you are finding it at higher levels in drinking water systems and it has led to contamination, it is likely from human activity.”
Stoiber said chromium-6 can cause cancer, inflammation and dysregulation of organs and systems in the body.
“People that may be most susceptible to hexavalent chromium exposure, of course, are young children, pregnant people, and also anyone that may already have a pre existing condition, liver disease, liver damage, or something like that,” Stoiber said. “Also people that take medicine for heartburn, where you have a higher pH in your gastrointestinal system, those people are also at more at increased risk from exposure.”
According to EWG data, more than 200 million Americans are currently exposed to unsafe levels of chromium-6 in their drinking water.
Most of the recent studies regarding chromium-6 were done more than a decade ago, however. Stoiber said while the concentration of chromium may vary seasonally, if there has been a detection of hexavalent chromium in an area, especially at a high level, that’s a good indication that one may find a high level again later on and a sign that more monitoring is needed.
According to the EPA, the national primary drinking water regulation that established the maximum contaminant level for total chromium of 0.1 mg per liter, or 100 parts per billion, was promulgated in 1991. It includes all forms of the metal, including chromium-6.
The EPA is expected to finish a study of chromium-6 by 2027. Later that year, Shellie Chard, water quality division director for DEQ, said the EPA will either propose that there is no reason to regulate chromium-6 and it will no longer be in consideration for drinking water regulation, or they will determine that regulation is important, and will propose levels that drinking water systems would have to meet.
Chard said a significant need exists for updated, expanded, and modernized water infrastructure, in Oklahoma and elsewhere, especially if guidelines become more strict, but small communities may not be able to afford upgrades that are needed.
“We know that we're getting better with the science,” Chard said. “We're collecting more data, we're making more informed decisions, but we do have to address that infrastructure piece so that we can make sure all citizens, not just those that live in a very large city or in a wealthy area, have access to safe and adequate drinking water, not only for health and the environment, but also for economic development, recreation and our way of life in Oklahoma.”
Norman may be one of the communities best-suited to accommodate future chromium-6 regulations. Chris Mattingly, utilities director for the City of Norman, and Thomas Crawley, project manager for Carollo Engineers, spoke during the study about how Norman has taken a proactive approach toward compliance with potential chromium-6 standards. They’ve conducted recent pilot studies and purchased land for a new water treatment facility.
“As engineers, we're not scientists. We don't set those numbers, but we understand, once we get the numbers, what the implications are. We want to wait for science to catch up and give us a number, and then we can deal with it,” Crawley said.
Crawley said cost can be an issue with mandates, and it’s important to get lawmakers educated on the issue and “on board.” He also said there may be federal funding available in the future.
One measure consumers can take to consume less chromium is to purchase a reverse-osmosis filtration system. A point-of-use reverse osmosis system is a water filtration device that is connected to a single fixture and can filter out chromium-6 and other harmful contaminants. Rosecrants said he is considering a measure that would establish a tax credit for consumers to purchase the filters.
“I know other states have done something like that. So, you know, a consumer could protect themselves from anything else, not just chromium-6, but anything like that,” Rosecrants said after the study Thursday afternoon.
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