Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Radioactive contamination of Drinking Water

This article by USA Today, shows us why we need to be concerned about Radioactive wastes and heavy metals in our drinking water. Only a portion or the article appears here - click the link to read the complete article. Millions of Americans are at risk from drinking water contaimated with radioactive wastes.

USATODAY.com - Report: Nuclear sites put drinking water sources at risk: "Report: Nuclear sites put drinking water sources at risk
By Larry Bivins and Greg Wright, Gannett News Service
WASHINGTON - Major sources of drinking water remain at risk of serious contamination from the nation's nuclear weapons complexes, despite billions in federal spending to clean up hazardous waste produced at these sites, according to a new report.

The seepage of radioactive and toxic byproducts into vital water resources pose grave health dangers to the tens of thousands of workers at these nuclear facilities, area residents and people who live dozens of miles away, authors of the report concluded.

Long-term exposure to such radioactive materials, including cesium, mercury, strontium, plutonium, trichloroethylene and uranium, could cause heart disease and cancer.

Based on a two-year study conducted by the Alliance for Nuclear Accountability, a coalition of about 30 environmental, health and safety organizations, the report contends that the Department of Energy has been retreating from a commitment to clean up these sites. The department has spent an estimated $200 billion so far, the report said.

Among the major water bodies facing the greatest threat are the Columbia River in Washington, the Clinch River in Tennessee, the Great Miami River in Ohio and the Savannah River in South Carolina, the alliance said. Ohio's Great Miami Aquifer, the Ogallala Aquifer in Texas and Idaho's Snake River Aquifer are among the underground water sources being polluted, the report said.

Kingston, Tenn.; Richland, Wash.; and Cincinnati are among the cities that rely almost exclusively on at-risk aquifers or rivers for drinking water.

A recent report found radioactive pollutants in drinking water 70 miles downstream from the Savannah River weapons site near Augusta, Ga., and Aiken, S.C., said Lou Zeller, director of the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, which keeps track of cleanup at the site.

In Idaho, about 270,000 people depend solely on the Snake River Aquifer, considered "literally the lifeblood of Southern Idaho's economy," said Jeremy Maxand, director of the Snake River Alliance, which monitors the Idaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory."

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