WASHINGTON – City officials say there is no need for panic after a US Geological Survey study revealed a large number of intersex fish in the Potomac River, a drinking water source for Washington and parts of Virginia, a September 7 story in The Georgetown Voice said.
Scientists discovered that 80 percent of male sea bass tested in the river were producing immature eggs; similar fish were found three years ago in Chesapeake Bay, which is fed by the Potomac, according to the report.
Researchers suspect the biological defects are the product of river contamination by chemicals that affect fish hormones, the article noted.
Thomas Jacobus, general manager of the Washington Aqueduct, which produces drinking water for about 1 million area residents, said in the story that the city's tap water is safe to drink, but he cautioned that the chemicals could pose a danger to residents if levels rise.
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