College Town Water Tainted With Disinfection Byproduct

Located in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains, equidistant from St. Louis and Kansas City, Columbia hosts the University of Missouri, Stephens College and Columbia College.

Chlorine is added to the town's water to kill bacteria, viruses, and other organisms that could cause serious waterborne illnesses and death. The byproducts, trihalomethanes, form when chlorine used to disinfect the water breaks down organic material.

The city's water utility, Columbia Water and Light, says chlorine cannot be completely eliminated at this time due to the risk that other waterborne illnesses may form.

Drinking water containing trihalomethanes can leade to health problems. (Photo credit unknown)

Floyd Turner, manager of water operations for the city of Columbia, confirmed that levels of trihalomethanes rose to 82.3 parts per billion in 2007, above the permissible level of 80 parts per billion.

Last year, after running more than 4,000 tests on samples from 39 locations throughout Columbia, the Department of Natural Resources found the level of trihalomethanes has continued to rise in the city's water.

"Water is pumped from wells into the water treatment plant. The water treatment plant in McBaine, Missouri is where the actual treatment happens," says Connie Kacprowicz of Columbia Water and Light.

The trihalomethane level has steadily increased over the last few years. In 2004 the year average was 0.06. It rose to 0.07 in 2005, and jumped to 0.074 in 2006. Last year it reached its highest level at 0.082.

But the last sample taken in February showed a decrease down to .077 which occurred after the DNR reduced the amount of chlorine.

The department says it must find the balance between having enough chlorine to keep the water clean without having so much that trihalomethanes are formed.

Long-term exposure even to levels of trihalomethanes that do meet the maximum contaminant level is a health concern.

A person consuming two liters of water per day for over 70 years could experience a risk of cancer equivalent to three to four cancers per 10,000 people, according to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that people drinking water exceeding the standards for trihalomethanes also might experience problems with their liver, kidneys or central nervous system.

Terry Timmons, environmental manager at the Department of Natural Resources, said most violations occur in smaller communities in northern Missouri. Timmons said smaller communities are more vulnerable because they treat surface water differently than do larger cities.

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