DENVER — American Water Works Association’s (AWWA) Water Utility Council Chair Aurel Arndt stressed in recent testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy that the solution to safeguarding drinking water from cyanotoxins begins with better nutrient pollution management, according to a press release.
The hearings are in response to the incident occurring last August in Toledo, Ohio, when cyanotoxin microcystin was found in finished water, resulting in a “do not drink” advisory to be issued for more than 400,000 people, stated the release.
During the testimony, Arndt explained that cyanotoxin contamination is “always associated with excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus in water” and also commented on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) use of the contaminant candidate lists (CCLs) “to begin the regulation process of cyanotoxins to protect public health,” reported the release.
In November 2014, AWWA President John Donahue also testified on cyanotoxins in a hearing in front of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy, noted the release.
“We recommend that Congress consider ways to greatly increase the effectiveness of nonpoint source pollution programs, including the question of whether nonpoint sources of pollution should be brought under the jurisdiction of the Clean Water Act,” said Arndt.
Read the entire release here.
