Tens of thousands of California residents may get cancer due to tap water

California residents who have been drinking tap water for many years may have a higher risk of developing cancer than those who don’t use the water, according to a new study.

Фото: Depositphotos

Experts from the Working Group on the Environment (EWG) studied the levels of toxic elements, including arsenic and radioactive particles such as uranium and radium, which were detected in California tap water between the years 2011 and 2015, writes Fox News.

The study, published by 30 in April in the journal Environmental Health, states that a combination of pollutants can almost lead to 15 500 cancer cases on a scale of average life expectancy.

Scientists said the study was the first of its kind.

“Rules currently set acceptable limits for one chemical in water, but this is not true,” said lead author and EWG senior scientist Tasha Stoiber. “Numerous contaminants are frequently found in American drinking water.”

On the subject: After fires in California, life-threatening water flows from taps

Scientists have investigated 2737 public water systems throughout California, 90% of which have met federal standards for the past seven years.

But EWG noted that "legal does not always mean safe."

“Legal restrictions are based on economic and political considerations that generally do not reflect lower levels of hazardous substances that pose very real health risks,” the group said. “In fact, more than 85% of the cancer risks calculated in the EWG study were due to pollutants that were below permitted limits.”

The approximately 3,1 million Californians who receive tap water from 495 systems have a combined risk of cancer greater than one additional case per 1000 people—the highest risk level found in the study. This means that 4860 people could get cancer just because they drink tap water.

The study does not specify which areas and locations of the state are at risk.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• Especially dangerous is tap water, the current of cranes in the burnt down city of paradisewhere the pipe was contaminated with chemical benzene.
• Local officials said the pollution happened after the rapid November fire caused a toxic combination of gases in burning houses. All of this fell into the water pipes, as residents and firefighters strenuously gathered water.
• According to the authorities, this can explain why benzene, which causes anemia and leukemia, was detected during water tests in various parts of the city, and not from a single destroyed source.

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After fires in California, life-threatening water flows from taps

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