The Peru Gazette

The Town of Peru has to sample quarterly for total trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids to comply with the disinfection by-products rule for E.P.A. and New York State. Test results for the 2^nd quarter of 2012 exceeded the allowable maximum contaminant levels.

Results are calculated by averaging the previous 4 quarter’s results. Current results represent the average of the 3^rd & 4^th quarters of 2011 & the 1^st & 2^nd quarters of 2012.

Haloacetic acids are a group of chemicals that includes mono-, di- and trichloroacetic acids and mono- and dibromoacetic acids.  Haloacetic acids are formed in drinking water during treatment by chlorine, which reacts with certain acids that are in naturally-occurring organic material (ie- decomposing vegetation such as tree leaves, algae or other aquatic plants) in surface water sources such as rivers and lakes.  The amount of haloacetic acids in drinking water can change from day to day, depending on the temperature, the amount of organic material in the water, the amount of chlorine added, and a variety of other factors.  Drinking water is disinfected by public water suppliers to kill bacteria and viruses that could cause serious illnesses.  Chlorine is the most commonly used disinfectant in New York State.  For this reason, disinfection of drinking water by chlorination is beneficial to public health.

Some studies of people who drank chlorinated drinking water for 20 – 30 years show that long term exposure to disinfection by products (possibly including haloacetic acids) is associated with an increased risk for certain types of cancer.  However, how long and how frequently people actually drank the water as well as how much haloacetic acids the water contained is not known for certain.  Therefore, we do not know for sure if the observed increased risk for cancer is due to haloacetic acids, other disinfection by-products, or some other factor.  The individual haloacetic acids dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid cause cancer in laboratory animals exposed to high levels over their lifetimes.  Dichloroacetic acid and trichloroacetic acid are also know to cause other effects in laboratory animals after high levels of exposure, primarily on the liver, kidney and nervous system and on their ability to bear health offspring.  Chemicals that cause effects in animals after high levels of exposure may pose a risk to humans exposed to similar or lower levels over long periods of time.

Trihalomethanes are a group of chemicals that includes chloroform, bromoform, bromodichloromethane, and chlorodibromomethane.  Trihalomethanes are formed in drinking water during treatment by chlorine, which reacts with certain acids that are in naturally-occurring organic material (e.g., decomposing vegetation such as tree leaves, algae or other aquatic plants) in surface water sources such as rivers and lakes.  The amount of trihalomethanes in drinking water can change from day to day, depending on the temperature, the amount of organic material in the water, the amount of chlorine added, and a variety of other factors.  Drinking water is disinfected by public water suppliers to kill bacteria and viruses that could cause serious illnesses.  Chlorine is the most commonly used disinfectant in New York State.  For this reason, disinfection of drinking water by chlorination is beneficial to public health.

Some studies suggest that people who drink chlorinated water (which contains trihalomethanes) or water containing elevated levels of trihalomethanes for long periods of time may have an increased risk for certain health effects.  For example, some studies of people who drank chlorinated drinking water for 20 to 30 years show that long term exposure to disinfection by-products (including trihalomethanes) is associated with an increased risk for certain types of cancer.  A few studies of women who drank water containing trihalomethanes during pregnancy show an association between exposure to elevated levels of trihalomethanes and small increased risks for low birth weights, miscarriages and birth defects.  However, in each of the studies, how long and how frequently people actually drank the water, as well as how much trihalomethanes the water contained is not known for certain.  Therefore, we do not know for sure if the observed increases in risk for cancer and other health effects are due to trihalomethanes or some other factor.  The individual trihalomethanes chloroform, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane cause cancer in laboratory animals exposed to high levels over their lifetimes.  Chloroform, bromodichloromethane and dibromochloromethane are also known to cause effects in laboratory animals after high levels of exposure, primarily on the liver, kidney, nervous system and on their ability to bear healthy offspring. Chemicals that cause adverse health effects in laboratory animals after high levels of exposure may pose a risk for adverse health effects in humans exposed to lower levels over long periods of time.

The Town of Peru has been working with the engineers from AES and have identified areas of the water system that need to be improved.  The filter media at the water plant, a second chlorination point and the addition of tank mixers are being tested or installed during the next few months.  The town & the engineers feel that this will resolve the LT1 compliance violations that have been a challenge since the change in the regulations. If you have any questions please contact the w/s dept @:643-8125 or Greg Timmons @ 726-6230.

Sincerely,

Greg Timmons

W/S Superintendent