Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Of all the things to worry about in a glass of tap water -- rust from old pipes, giardia and that strange, recurring mossy taste -- perhaps the last thing that comes to mind is the possibility of rocket fuel and aircraft-engine cleanser. Yet America's commitment to flight, space exploration and intercontinental missilery has had a trickle-down effect.

Perchlorate, a major ingredient in rocket fuel, has been found in the water supply in at least 35 states and in the Colorado River -- a source of irrigation water for many of America's winter crops. It's no surprise, then, that it has also been found in lettuce and wended its way into the human population, where it is so widespread it's been found even in breast milk. It can affect thyroid health, with fetuses, infants, and small children being particularly sensitive to its toxicity.

Trichloroethylene (TCE), used to degrease machines and engines, also gets into groundwater. Like perchlorate, it is widely used by the Defense Department.

Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will hold a hearing on the chemicals' presence in the water supply, and on the lack of Environmental Protection Agency standards governing it. The hearing will take up legislation designed to protect pregnant women and children from the chemicals, and comes in response to majority staff concerns that the White House and Pentagon have been pressuring the EPA, slowing the development of federal safety standards.

-- Garance Franke-Ruta