High Carcinogen Levels
Found In Upcountry Water
New
legislation mandates DWS address pathogens and carcinogens in
water systems.
J.M. Buck
MAKAWAO–
As if Upcountry residents haven’t had enough problems with
their drinking water, now there is something else to add to the
list of water woes – carcinogens.
The Maui Upcountry Water Oversight Committee (OAC) met last Wednesday
despite pouring rain at Eddie Tam Memorial Center to discuss,
among other things, the cause of exceedingly high levels of trihalomethanes
(THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs) in the Upcountry water system,
and how to remedy the problem. Both contaminants are highly carcinogenic
by-products of the water disinfection process.
In light of recent legislation that amended the EPA Safe Drinking
Water Rule as well as new disinfection standards water systems
across the nation must comply with, the Upcountry water system
may be facing some major changes. This included the possibility
of a new chemical being added to the water.
Testing of the Upper Kula system reveal average total THM levels
of 72 parts-per-billion (ppb), just scraping the EPA maximum contaminant
level of 80 ppb. HAAs register an average of 86.3 ppb, far exceeding
the EPA maximum limit of 60 ppb.
 |
| DWS
Deputy Director Eric Yamashige (center) and former
mayor James “Kimo” Apana (right) listen intently
as Dr. Steve Duranceau of Boyle Engineering gives his assessment
and recommendations for the Upcountry water systems. |
The
lower Kula system is in compliance, yet carcinogen levels there
are still worrisome. THMs there registered 56 ppb, and HAAs came
in at an average of 43 ppb.
Dr. Steve Duranceau of Boyle Engineering, the company hired by
OAC to assess the Upcountry drinking water system, explained to
approximately 30 people what caused the high level of cancer-causing
agents. Most were committee members and concerned county officials.
“Right now, you have two different disinfection methods
in the systems, but there’s three systems that are connected,”
said Duranceau. The State is concerned about using two different
disinfectants – we don’t want disinfection that will
cause cancer. We’ve got THM’s.”
A combination of chloranamine and sodium hydroxide is being used
in the Upper Kula system because of a high content of organic
carbon material. This is common in surface water. Food grade lime
is being added for pH control to inhibit lead leaching. Lower
Kula disinfects with free chlorine and controls pH with soda ash.
The Makawao system is using sodium hydroxide.
Duranceau says that the two different disinfectants, combined
with two different corrosion controls, have created a dangerous
chemical reaction.
“Lead rates dropped [in the Upper Kula system] after changing
to food grade lime because they were able to add more [of it],”
Duranceau continued. “The problem is when we increase the
pH, we stop corrosion, but we increase disinfection by-product.
A lot. It forms all these different by-products that are carcinogens.
Now there is a contradiction in the treatment.”
The condition of the Upcountry water was recently described by
State Department of Health, Maui Branch (DOH) director Dr. Lorrin
Pang as a “time bomb.” Pang, who was in attendance
at Wednesday’s meeting, said before the meeting that during
the height of the “Upcountry rash” outbreak, high
levels of Pseudomonas bacteria were found in 100% of the homes
where water was tested. It was found that phosphates previously
being used in the Upcountry system to control lead had caused
a “bloom” of Pseudomonas, the bacteria responsible
for hot-tub dermatitis. Pang says that since the phosphates were
removed from the system last year, the number of skin irritation
cases has dropped dramatically, with only about 2.5 percent still
continuing to experience discomfort.
 |
| “It’s
way beyond rashes.” OAC chairman Palmer Purdy
looks on as committee member Odette Carothers gives her
input. |
However,
some people are still blaming a host of ailments on the water.
From weight loss, cancer, breathing difficulty and staph infections
to boils, heart problems, headache and nausea – and of course,
skin rashes.
Edward “Smitty” Smith, a committee member, points
to the water as the source of his ongoing health problems. A tall,
fiery man, he claims to have lost over 100 pounds because the
water has made him so sick.
“I have medical problems yet with the water,” said
Smith in Pidgin-inflected vernacular. “I took limu out of
my faucets. I’m fed up with this problem.”
Pang is skeptical. He believes existing problems with the Upcountry
water are now in homeowners’ pipes, not in lines that fall
under the Department of Water Supply’s (DWS) responsibility.
“It’s clean up to the meter,” said Pang. “It’s
DOH’s responsibility to investigate, regardless.”
Pang says three criteria must be met before DOH can proceed with
additional studies. First, a biological link, a common denominator.
Second, there must be wide usage, such as the previous usage of
phosphates in the Upcountry system. Third, there must be a new
problem.
“You need a denominator. Convince us we should move on this
and we’ll take the best approach,” said Pang. “Show
me there’s a new problem.”
Ginny Parsons, a committee member who also sits on the Board of
Water Supply, says there are ongoing health problems in the community
she believes are related to the Upcountry water. “I have
people calling me with boils and rashes and cancer every day,”
she relayed.
Former Maui mayor Kimo Apana was also in present. He feels that
further DOH studies should be conducted in areas where the highest
concentrations of people with possible water-related illnesses
reside.
“We might have some hot-spots at the end of the lines,”
he suggested.
Duranceau outlined new two new pieces of legislation that will
force DWS to upgrade the water system.
The first, called the Long Term 2 Enhanced Surface Water Treatment
Rule (LT2 rule), addresses protection from disease-causing microorganisms
and contaminants that can form during drinking water treatment.
The rule mandates that systems with surface water as their source
will need to apply higher and more effective levels of disinfection.
Click
here to read more about this rule.
The second, Stage 2 Disinfectants and Disinfection Byproducts
Rule (DBP rule), steps up monitoring requirements of disinfection
by-products, especially THMs and HAAs. To view this new rule,
click
here.
Under the new laws, a water system exceeding maximum contaminate
levels will be assessed severe penalties.
“The new drinking water laws say you must have consumer
confidence,” said Duranceau.
His recommendation for the Upcountry water system drew surprise
and concern from those gathered.
“This is going to be hard for you to accept,” he prefaced.
“You can’t increase the pH in the system, and you
can’t use phosphates.” Duranceau suggested DWS use
a new blended corrosion control chemical that coats the system.
He described the new chemical as “a long-chain polymer”
and went on to say that the chemical is common in foods.
He also recommended removing organic carbons in the Upper Kula
surface water source using carbon filtration, eliminating the
need for chloranamine.
Duranceau says the chemical has been used with great success in
Pinellas County, Florida.
“This forces water systems to re-think the way they treat
water,” he finalized. “The Water Department is going
to have to collect data to be used for decision making. They have
no choice. It’s the law.”
DWS has six years to bring all water systems into compliance with
the new laws.
