Public Affairs Advisory 
What's New 


TO:
AWWA Leadership
All Utilities
FROM:
Jack Hoffbuhr
DATE:
January 9, 2002 

Who:
Environmental Working Group/U.S. PIRG 
What:
Release of Report on Chlorination Byproducts in Tap Water 
When:
January 8, 2002 


AWWA members should be aware of the release of a study on January 8, 2002 by the Environmental Working Group
(EWG) and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG.) "Consider the Source," analyzed 50 areas of the
country that may have increased health risks including miscarriage, cancer and birth defects from women drinking
chlorination byproducts. The study was based on a 1998 report compiled by researchers at the California Department
of Health Services who suggested an association between DBPs and miscarriage. 

The EPA closely examined this study and concluded that there was no evidence drawing an association
between the two. In an earlier press release the EPA stated that, "EPA does not endorse all the
conclusions in this report. The data that the EWG provides warrants additional review, possibly peer
review, but at this time the data is not conclusive and may be misleading. EPA agrees with the EWG on the
importance of continued research on the potential adverse reproductive and developmental health effects
from exposure to DBPs. However the studies cited in the EWG report do not support their argument that
there is a link between current levels of exposure to DBPs and an increased risk of adverse reproductive
and developmental health effects." 

The World Health Organization also noted, "The risks to health from DBPs are extremely small in comparison with
inadequate disinfection." 

AWWA member utilities should be prepared for inquiries from local media and customers resulting from this report.
AWWA recommends its members be prepared to discuss the need to further research on this issue as well as to
reinforce the our mission that we continue to work to reduce disinfection byproduct levels in drinking water through a
process that protects the public from both long and short term health risks. Safe drinking water disinfection remains
one of the most significant public health achievements of the last century, and by working collaboratively we will
continue to develop new regulatory frameworks that will ensure that drinking water will remain safe. 

Upon presenting the findings, the report calls for more funding for utility system upgrades and a national effort to
provide cleaner source water utilities with surface-supplied source water. AWWA continues to believe working
collaboratively with other groups to prevent source water contamination and reduce the presence of disinfection
byproducts in drinking water, along with support for adequate funding is the best course of action.