Washington, DC - Today, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued guidelines for public water systems across the country on how to monitor and test for the toxic chemical, chromium-6, in drinking water. Water providers currently monitor for total chromium, but not chromium-6. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement on the latest development:

Senator Boxer said: "EPA's guidance today is a positive step toward fully informing the public about the levels of toxic chromium-6 in their drinking water. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and the EPA to ensure we have a drinking water standard for chromium-6 that protects our children and families from this dangerous contaminant."

Senators Boxer and Feinstein wrote a letter to the Agency last month, in which Senator Boxer highlighted that she intends to introduce legislation, with Senator Feinstein as a cosponsor, that would set a deadline for the EPA to set an enforceable drinking water safeguard for hexavalent chromium, and she announced that the EPW Committee will be holding a hearing on this issue in February 2011.

Attached is a PDF version of the letter to EPA.

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