Document xzQmO6gxRvpN2p7vge349DJZ6

t 66000 ESCONDIDO. C*UF. TIL'ES-A^WTE D. 16.0CO APR 2 5 1977 At z X Faulty PCB data reappear National reports cite Escondido tests By JIM MOLNAA T-A Stoff Writer fecONDfiX) -- Faulty information gleaned [ran 1975 tests about the presence of polychlorinated Mpbeaals (PCBs) in EscondMo linking water is finding its way bade toto some national environmental reports. (PCBs are highly Untie substances used in production of electrical trans formers and capacitors. Termed 'per sistent and aonbtodegradabk" by Rus sell E. Train, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator in Washington, they have been shown to cause skin dseases and Uver problems and reproductive anomalies in fcftaratory animals.) * TWb April-May Issue of the Conaamer -ttnMe. pMkM la New York Iqr the (MM Consumer Service Corp.. echoes EPA reports presented to Congress to December 1975. Washington Post stories at the time listed Escondido with four other U-S. communities as having evidence of PCBs to tap water. Follow-up investigations by Larry Michaels, director of the Escondido Mutual Water Co., and inquiries by John Tunney, former California senator, led to apologies from EPA lari June. Michaels had forwarded findings of Metropolitan Water District (MWD) studies to Tunney to response to the Washington Pori stories. Robert E Whaley, MWD chief operations engineer, said that two gas chromatograph tests were taken of Colorado River water, one each from Lake Skimer and Lake Mathews, con cernmg the possible presence of PCBs. "The data indicate that no PCBs were, found in the two samples of Colorado River water." Whaley wrote. "We believe tbe current remits sborid as sure you that PCBs are not present to measurable amounts to the water being delivered to you by Metropolitan." In 1975, General Electric (GE) an! tbe state of New York formulated i pact to begin a V millton program to eliminate the chemicals that GE had been flushing into waters near produc tion plaids at Hudson Falls and Fort Edward for 25 yean. Later the company announced that it had developed two new compounds to replace the dangerous, stable PCBs. A federal bill requiring testing of potentially dangerous chemicals before release into water or the atmosphere was passed by Confess and signed into law by then President Gerald Ford to October 1979. PCBs were the only chemicals specifically named to the legislation. Their manufacture, sale or distribatfcn were banted unless EPA ruled that their continued me (fid not present a threat to human health and the environment. - Tbe tests, completed three months ago, led to a ruling that baas industrial discharge of PCBs directly toto water supplies. Mamrfacture of the chemicals must end by January 1979. Monsanto Industrial Chemicals, tbe sole manufacturer of PCBs said it plan ned to end PCB production by November 1977. Tbe MWD report suggested two pos sibilities to Michaels: either there were oo PCBs to Escondido drinking water or tbe source of (facharge toto $be system was within the city. The latter seemed unlikely -- gas chromatograph tests are conducted no less often than oaoe a year A cam O, P* A4, CL 1 {FMtymta*. Cent. Pram Page A-l 1 la Its response, KPA con to monitor levelaof berblddeo curred and explained tbit tba tad pertlddet In local water. Tba praaeoee of >t*bl com pound! llfce PCBt would too* loformatlon wat presented to Congress under preprint up, and It never baa. deadlines that bad not allowed more reliable tasting. Later Michael! learned that tlw formal tests showed ao tut result! presented to. ovldeace' of PCBs la tba Confree! hod not boa con "WU- .. . ducted hP KPA, but by Moo- tonto At * local firm, ""I regret any problem! of Capacitor Spectatleta, which Inconvenience caused by thli usee PCBe In tta production. unfortunate occurrence, ' wrote Victor Klmm, KPA %*:' "The umplea warn taken to J.'detennlao the Imt of PCBo J It Ute public voter apply aa ;v-: `l regret f: 1 background Informatlm la . any problem* 1 determining the amounte at I PCBi dUcbtrfod Into too of inconvenience' f ooteor System from tbo deputy aaalataat ad-, production process," hflchaeb wrote to Tunnay. ; mlnbtrator, "and maun you' .that we will do our boot to pre 4 "Tto sampling point for vent aqr reoccurrence." . _ - taking the Water samples u Bruce Hayworth, Capacitor drinking fountain nrithla tba Spadelist! president, laid to pint trot when tba PCBo day that hb ftrm'e phaelni cut ' won mail:.'. Such umpllnf of PCBo In production should pmcodurm aro ao Incredibly be completed ta that a unscientific that any raadlte month. Ha paid thattba firm, cold bo totally Innlld tad b Eacondldo for eeven yean, would guarantee that PCB hu never diacharftd any of cootamlnatloa would bo pro tba compound, but roOydea ' teat la tot sample. . 100 par cant of He production -t . ' :>> 1 - ; -- ' . fluhb. , ... v.. _ . ' "However, such a sample would boar ao relttloniblp to The firm has developed Me any possible eoatamlnatlea of Own alternative compound, too public water apply.., As which Hayworth mid b as sn- too Colorado River la unpol vtronmentally safe m tba GE luted by laduftrla! waota dlo- chemlcab, while bein| avm charge tad b controlled by lem flammable... .. : large reeervdrs that would lead to maintain tracer of any aoddatal cdotantoiaUoa for ' 11ta( period of time, It la. taaaonaUo to aaaumo that there wu no amtamlaatten ' boa too Moaaanto sample wsi taken ta Eecoodido."- 'ui'avVuWb.' HONS 000992