Because studies from 2012, – 2016 show that parts per trillion of toxic compounds are enough to initiate disease at the cellular level it has been difficult to define “safe levels”. Coupled with the unwillingness of the United States Congress to vote in changes suggested by EPA studies since 1995, the literature has turned to “Acceptable Risk” as a means of quantifying morbidity (illness from water toxins) and mortality from water-borne disease.
When water districts in the USA – over 150,000 public water utilities – examine water for potability – the standards are 80 , 60 and 10 parts per billion for methanes, acids and endocrine disrupting compounds respectively. These levels are 1000 times to high according to standards now being set in many European countries.
- – to be concluded –