Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works – hearing entitled Perchlorate and TCE in Water, May 6, 2008.

From Opening Statement by Chairman Barbara Boxer: “…today we will hear about EPA’s particularly disturbing failures to address significant risks to our families from two widespread drinking water contaminants: perchlorate and trichloroethylene, usually just called “TCE.”

Perchlorate is used to make rocket fuel, but when it gets into drinking water, this toxic chemical can interfere with the thyroid and affect hormone systems, which control the way the body develops. Infants and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to perchlorate.

Researchers have found that over 20 million Americans’ drinking water supplies contain perchlorate. GAO found in 2005 that there were nearly 400 sites in 35 states contaminated with perchlorate. My state of California had 106 sites.

The evidence of significant exposure to perchlorate and assorted health risks has strengthened in recent years. In 2006, scientists at the CDC found “widespread human exposure to perchlorate” in the US, including in young children. They also found that many women who were exposed to perchlorate in their drinking water had significant changes in thyroid hormone levels.”