Herbicides Claimed To Cause Unsafe Tap Water

August 12, 1997

WASHINGTON (UPI) - An environmental group is charging that widespread contamination by weed killers in northern agricultural states is raising cancer risks for babies.

The Environmental Working Group, based in Washington, announced it will release a report Tuesday on atrazine and other herbicides in drinking water.

Advance copies of the report have already sparked industry protests. The Grocery Manufacturers of America trade group calls the report "science fiction" and says that many companies filter water used in foods for children.

The Environmental Working Group, however, points out food manufacturing practices do not help the home tap water used to reconstitute infant formula.

The group combined results of its own water testing with results from state environmental authorities. The report shows contaminated tap water in 374 communities, including 144 in Ohio, 97 in Illinois, 59 in Missouri, 23 in Indiana, and 16 in Iowa. The report also notes contamination in Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Environmental Working Group acknowledged that larger cities, including St. Louis, Indianapolis, and Omaha have started to treat tap water with powdered activated carbon to reduce the dose of weed killers.

The report concludes that cleaning water "costs these communities millions of dollars each year - money that could clearly be spent on other community needs were these weed killers kept out of water supplies in the first place."