Chromium 6 in the Water Supply
Re “County to Test Water for Chromium 6,” Sept. 6.
Despite the fact that the county Board of Supervisors moved to begin testing the levels of chromium 6 (a carcinogen) at county facilities and that the Legislature is waiting for Gov. [Gray] Davis to sign Senate Bill 2127, which would require the Department of Health Services to determine chromium 6 levels and assess its risk to public health, Mel Blevins, water master, saw fit to state his opinion that “the level of chromium 6 is not excessive.”
According to the American Heritage Dictionary, opinion is “a belief, conclusion or judgment not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof.”
Woe to us who rely on a water master who does not understand his public responsibility or the necessity of evaluating evidence based on empirical data and scientific method. Kudos to Joel Wachs, Laura Chick and county supervisors for taking their public responsibility seriously and expressing their urgency to determine whether the public’s water is safe for us to drink.
NORM TOBACK
Studio City
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