EPA has awarded $214,000 to Mason City, Iowa, for safe drinking water improvements.

This safe drinking water project is expected to be completed by the summer of 2012.

EPA Region 7 Administrator Karl Brooks said:

“Enhancing safe drinking water systems is an important step. Especially in providing safe drinking water to the residents of Mason City. This grant will partially fund the construction project which is estimated to cost $500,000.”

In addition, the project includes the installation of a generator. One which will also allow plant operators to more accurately control the chlorine levels   Moreover and in the distribution system. The new generator will also reduce accidental exposure. As well as potential harm to water department personnel. Those associated with current chemical drum delivery, storage and also handling.

 

 

 

In addition, the EPA oversees the protection of water quality and also the public health. The Safe Drinking Water Act protects human health by regulating the nation’s public drinking water supply. The responsibility for ensuring safe drinking water is shared by EPA, states, tribes, water systems, and the public.

Contamination Concerns:

The Drinking Water Standard (DWS) is set at a level based on drinking 2L/day resulting in a 4 mrem per year dose, which is a 1 in 10,000 lifetime risk of fatal cancer in adults, if consumed daily over 30 years. Children are 3 to 10 times more susceptible to develop cancer from the same dose. That’s especially because Iodine concentrates in young thyroids. Of course, Iodine 131 may cause non-cancerous health conditions.  Total cancer risk is cumulative.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7, 901 N. Fifth St., Kansas City, KS 66101, (Kansas City, Kan., Dec. 15, 2011), Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Tribal Nations

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