WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Feds Listen to Complaints About Water

Feds Listen to Complaints About Water

Burlington, Vermont - September 26, 2007

Several Chittenden County residents came forward to tell their stories.They told state leaders and federal health experts they were relatively healthy until last year when the Champlain Water District switched from chlorine to chloramine to disinfect the water. Then they suffered from burning, itchy eyes, major unexplained rashes, even lesions, until....

"We have at least 50 people who have removed themselves from exposure to the water and their symptoms went away," said Ellen Powell of Vermonters Concerned About Chloramine.

Vermont and the Centers for Disease Control are taking the complaints seriously -- residents in San Francisco have said the same thing.

The change-over from chlorine to chloramine comes from an Environmental Protection Agency directive limiting the amount of byproducts allowed. Chlorine produces a lot of byproducts, some associated with bladder cancer -- and chloramine produces fewer. The EPA has deemed it an appropriate alternative, but health experts acknowledge that human health studies have not been done.

"In terms of the kinds of health effects that people are complaining about, there really haven't been any studies to really address that issue in a statistically significant way," said Lorraine Backer from the Centers for Disease Control.

That's because the number of complaintants pales in comparison to the millions who use water disinfected with chloramine. In Chittenden County, just 50 or so of the Champlain Water District's 68,000 water recipients have complained to the Health Department. So the department is looking for federal guidance.

"If we are to do a study what would be the number of individuals that would have to be surveyed and assessment done to make it a more informed and conclusive piece of information," said Sharon Moffatt, the Acting Health Commissioner for the State of Vermont.

So until that's done, Vermont health officials are encouraging people to come forward if they believe their water is the cause of their ills. They also say see a doctor -- because other medical could be the culprit.

Bridget Barry Caswell - WCAX News