 Arsenic
is a chemical that occurs naturally in the earth's crust. When rocks,
minerals, and soil erode, they release arsenic into water supplies. When
people either drink this water or eat animals and plants that drink it,
they are exposed to arsenic. For most people in the U.S., eating and drinking
are the most common ways that people are exposed to arsenic, although
it can also come from industrial sources. Studies have linked long-term
exposure of arsenic in drinking water to a variety of cancers in humans.
To protect human health, an EPA standard limits the amount of arsenic
in drinking water. In January 2001, EPA revised the standard from 50 parts
per billion (ppb), ordering that it fall to 10 ppb by 2006. After adopting
10ppb as the new standard for arsenic in drinking water, EPA decided to
review the decision to ensure that the final standard was based on sound
science and accurate estimates of costs and benefits. In October 2001,
EPA decided to move forward with implementing the 10ppb standard for arsenic
in drinking water.
More information on the rulemaking process and the costs and benefits
of setting the arsenic limit in drinking water at 10ppb can be found at
www.epa.gov/safewater/arsenic.html.
Read EPA's press release on this issue.
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