California water regulators are setting the country’s first standards for a cancer-causing chemical. The State Water Resources Control Board set a limit on how much hexavalent chromium can be present in drinking water. The chemical is usually found in water contaminated by industries that use chrome, and in some groundwater sources. The standards will require cities and water agencies to spend millions to fix wells and other water infrastructure, which officials say will cost residents more if the state doesn’t provide financial help. Despite this, public health advocates say hexavalent chromium is a dangerous contaminant, and the new limit is still much higher than the minimum level considered a cancer risk.
California Limits Amount of Cancer-Causing Chemical in Water
