C153376 Feasibility Study - Laserfiche WebLink

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I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I environment and in the foods we eat. The National Drinking Water Standards set by EPA reflect the levels we can safely consume in our water, taking into account the amounts we are exposed to from these other sources. Only two substances for which standards have been set propose an immediate threat to health whenever they are exceeded. These are bacteria and nitrate. Coliform bacteria which may be found in drinking water can cause disease themself or indicate that other harmful organisms may be present in the water. Water born diseases such as typhoid, cholera, infectious hepatitis and dysentery have been traced to improper disinfected drinking water. Nitrate in drinking water above the national standard poses an immediate threat to children under three months of age. In some infants, excessive levels of nitrate have been known to react with a hemoglobin in the blood to produce an anemic condition commonly known as "blue baby". Other substances covered by the Drinking Water Standards and their allowable concentrations are as follows: arsenic - 0.5 mg/l; barium - 1 mg/l; cadmium - 1.01 mg/l; chromium - 0.05 mg/l; fluoride - 2.4 mg/l; lead - 0.05 mg/l; mercury - 0.002 mg/l; selenium - 0.01 mg/l; silver - 0.05 mg/l; pesticides (concentration depends upon type of pesticide); radioactivity and turbidity. STATE LEGISLATION The intent of the Safe Drinking Water Act was that each state should have primary enforcement of their drinking water program. Also each state which had primary enforcement must have a set of primary drinking regulations equal to the federal regulations as promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency who was charged by law to operate the program. Since Colorado has, had a set of regulations on the quality water served to the public, for the state III-3