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Did Chloramine Additives put 42,000 Children in D.C. at Risk?
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
High emotion in our nation's capital is hardly worth reporting. We read about it every day. But a new drama has emerged that doesn't involve bickering between democrats and republicans, and it isn't a debate about the best way to stimulate the economy, the fastest way to secure our borders, or whether or not our world is warming or cooling.
The issue at hand, however, is generating plenty of heat (and press) between outraged parents and local bureaucrats, and centers on DC’s most precious asset, its' children. Between the years 2001 and 2004, chloramine disinfectant was added to the water supply and resulted in excessive levels of lead in local tap water which may have effected children.
At the center of the parents' angst are the results of a recent study by Marc Edwards, a Virginia Tech environmental engineer, who reviewed thousands of children's blood tests for elevated levels of lead and concluded as many as 42,000 children could be at risk for neurological damage and developmental disorders. Mr. Edwards undertook his study because he believed assurances from the District’s water authority, that no harm was caused, were erroneous.
Based on detailed analysis of blood samples, Mr. Edwards found lead in children's blood increased nearly ten-fold during the period of elevated contamination, potentially leading to the erosion of I.Q. and increased incidences of behavior disorders like ADHD. His cause has gained considerable momentum ever since the Washington Post caught wind of his findings.
Although lead in the DC water supply has long since returned to required EPA standards, there continues to be an ongoing debate to exactly how many children we're affected and to what extent. Regardless of numbers and affect, no one can argue against safeguarding young children. Mr. Edwards sounds like one leading a crusade when he states lead tainted drinking water is a "crime against children". Who can argue?
This is not a story that is going away anytime soon, nor should it. In a city full of trial lawyers, one can only imagine some of the possible repercussions. At the very least, it’s drawing national attention to a serious problem.
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