EPA New England Press Releases

Statements From Public Health Experts Supporting EPA's Push For Drinking Water Filtration For MWRA Water

Statements From Boston-Area Public Health Experts

Dr. David Ozonoff, M.D. M.P.H., chairman of Department of Environmental Health, Boston University School of Public Health

"The fact that MWRA does not filter its water is a matter of genuine public health concern. The fact that it is resisting it is nothing short of scandal." "The provision of clean piped water to our cities is one of the most important public health triumphs of the century. But a piped water supply can also be an efficient way to deliver harmful water to a vast number of people. In effect, water treatment is one end of a very long lever. A mistake made at that end can have very tremendous consequences at the other end. Filtration is one of the most important protections in modern water treatment, especially given the emergence of newly emerging diseases on one hand and newly succeptible populations like AIDs patients and cancer and transplant patients on the other."

Dr. Robert Morris, M.D. P.H.D., epidemiologist at Tufts Medical School

"Filtration can dramatically reduce the concentration of debris and pathogens in the water supply. This technology is absolutely critical for water supplies that rely on multi-use water sources such as large lakes and rivers. For pathogens that resist chemical disinfection, filtration is the only way to remove pathogens from the water supply." "Emerging data in two areas has raised concerns about the widespread reliance on chlorine disinfection. First, there is substantial evidence that the pathogen, Cryptosporidium, is both ubiquitous in surface water and highly resistant to chlorine. Second, there are concerns about chlorination by-products. Chlorination by-products form when organic matter in the water supply combines with chlorine that is added to disinfect water. There is increasing evidence that these compounds may be associated with adverse health effects including cancer and birth defects."

Statements From Three Members of MWRA Panel That Studied Filtration Issue:

Daniel A. Okun, environmental engineering consultant, Chapel Hill, N.C.

Question: "Do you think MWRA needs filtration?"
Okun's answer: "Unequivocally, yes."

Lisa Ragain, consultant, Public Health & Environment, Virginia

"I think the MWRA does need a filtration system. A multi-level system, source-water protection, filtration, ozonation, infrastructure upgrades, etc. are the only way utilities will be able to ensure any level of safety with ongoing population growth and associated stresses. The only way of beginning to keep cryptosporidium and any other emerging biological contaminants out of the water is filtration."

Mark Buehler, director of water quality, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

"I am not familiar with all of the details on filtration avoidance. My sense is that MWRA cannot avoid filtration. The only question is the timing of installing filters."