Glendale to Allow More Chromium 6 in Water

A Glendale City Council decision to raise the allowable limit of chromium 6 in drinking water might not end a 15-month battle pitting the city against federal officials and the San Fernando Valley water master, officials said Wednesday.

The council voted 3 to 1 on Tuesday night to raise the chromium limit from 1 part per billion to 3 ppb. It took the action because a state agency found last month that there was insufficient evidence to label the water unsafe.

The city has dumped thousands of gallons of water--worth more than $3 million--into the Los Angeles River because of chromium contamination. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials and Valley water master Mel Blevins say the water is safe. Blevins says the dumping is unnecessary.

Glendale officials had hoped Tuesday’s vote would resolve the dispute with the EPA and water master. But EPA officials remained concerned that Glendale’s ongoing efforts to limit chromium 6 levels will prevent the city from cleansing the water of toxic solvents, EPA spokeswoman Lisa Fasano said. Glendale is under a federal consent decree to remove industrial solvents from its aquifers.

Fasano said the city should continue to run its water treatment plant at full capacity to eliminate the solvents. But city officials said they must cut back the capacity to reduce the chromium 6 levels.

Chromium 6 is a known carcinogen when inhaled, but scientists disagree on whether it causes disease when ingested in water.

The Glendale council agreed to the higher limit because the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment determined last month that scientific findings supporting the 1-ppb level were flawed.

“There have been new findings that have a bearing on what the permissible level of chromium 6 in water supplies should be,” Don Froelich, Glendale’s water services administrator, said Tuesday. “These were significant enough for the council to reconsider its position.”

Glendale also faces legal action over the water dumping.

Blevins asked a Los Angeles Superior Court judge last month to find that the dumping was illegal because it had depleted regional supplies. A hearing had been set for early next year.

Glendale officials said they might stop the dumping before then.