water supplies vulnerable to milwaukee type disease outbreak here is a press release from the natural resources defense council new data show about major u s water supplies vulnerable to milwaukee type disease outbreak to national desk environment writer contact erik olson or sarah silver both of the natural resources defense council washington april internal epa data released today by the natural resources defense council reveals that about large water systems serving cities from boston to san francisco do not filter to remove disease carrying organisms leaving those communities potentially vulnerable to a disease outbreak similar to the one affecting milwaukee the epa list is attached these internal epa documents reveal that the safety of water supplies in many american cities is threatened by inadequate pollution controls or filtration said erik olson a senior attorney with nrdc water contamination isn t just a problem in bangladesh it s also a problem in bozeman and boston as of june about large surface water systems on epa s list probably will be breaking the law the safe drinking water act requires all surface water systems to either filter their water or fully protect the rivers or lakes they use from pollution olson continued some systems are moving towards eventually implementing filtration systems but are expected to miss the law s deadline olson pointed out that the threat of contamination is already a reality in other cities a survey of u s surface water systems by water utility scientists found that percent of raw water samples contained the milwaukee organism cryptosporidium and percent contained a similar parasite called giardia adding to the level of concern a general accounting office study released today by house health and environment subcommittee chairman henry waxman indicates serious deficiencies in the nation s system for conducting and following through on sanitary surveys of water systems this new information raises a huge warning sign that millions of americans can no longer simply turn on their taps and be assured that their water is safe to drink we must immediately put into place programs to protect water sources from contamination and where this is not assured filtration equipment must be installed to protect the public olson noted the time has come for many of the nation s water utilities to stop dragging their feet and to aggressively protect their water from contamination consumers are prepared to pay the modest costs needed to assure their water is safe to drink nrdc is a national non profit environmental advocacy organization systems epa indicates require filtration and do not adequately protect watersheds connecticut bridgeport bridgeport hydraulic co massachusetts boston h o resource author mwra medford mwra medford water dept melrose mwra melrose water dept hilton mwra hilton water dept needham mwra needham water division newtoncenter mwra newton water dept marblehead mwra marblehead water dept quincy mwra quincy water dept norwood mwra norwood water dept framingham mwra framingham water div cambridge mwra cambridge water dept canton mwra canton water div dpw chelsea mwra chelsea water dept everett mwra everett water dept lexington mwra bedford puo wrks lynn mwra lynn water sewer co malden mwra malden water division revere mwra revere water dept woburn mwra woburn water dept swampscott mwra swampscott water dept saugus mwra saugus water dept somerville mwra somerville water dept stoneman mwra stoneman water dept brookline mwra brookline water dept wakefield mwra same as above waltham mwra waltham water division watertown mwra watertown water division weston mwra weston water dept dedham mwra dedham westwood district winchester mwra winchester water sewer winthrop mwra winthrop water dept boston mwra boston water sewer co s hadley mwra south hadley fire dist arlington mwra arlington water dept belmont mwra belmont water dept clinton mwra clinton water dept attleboro attleboro water dept fitchburg fitchburg water dept northampton northampton water dept north adams north adams water dept amherst amherst water division dpw gardner gardner water dept worcester worcester dpw water oper westboro westboro water dept southbridge southbridge water supply co newburyport newburyport water dept hingham hingham water co brockton brockton water dept maine rockland camden rockland water co bath bath water district new hampshire keene city of keene salem salem water dept vermont barre city barre city water system rutland city rutland city water dept new york glens falls glens falls city yorktown hts yorktown water storage dist rochester rochester city henrietta henrietta wd rochester mcwa upland system rochester greece consolidated new york nyc aquaduct sys croton chappaqua new castle stanwood wd beacon beacon city mamaronek westchester joint water works pennsylvania bethlehem bethlehem public water sys johnstown greater johnstown water auth lock haven city of lock haven water dept shamokin roaring creek water comp harrisburg harrisburg city hazleton hazleton city water dept wind gap blue mt consolidated apollo westmoreland auth fayettville guilford water auth humlock creek pg w ceasetown reservoir springbrook pg w waters reservoir wilkes barre pg w gardners creek wilkes barre pg w hill creek wilkes barre pg w plymouth relief altoona altoona city auth tamaqua tamaqua municipal water waynesboro waynesboro borough auth pottsville schuykill co mun auth virginia covington city of covington fishersville south river sa dist acsa south carolina greenville greenville water sys michigan sault ste marie sault ste marie marquette marquette montana butte butte water co bozeman bozeman city california san francisco city county of san fran nevada reno westpac idaho twin falls twin falls city washington aberdeen aberdeen water dept centralia centralia water dept nigel allen toronto ontario canada ndallen r node hub org
