JUNEAU, Alaska, Aug. 5 (UPI) -- More than 6,800 residents in Alaska may be unknowingly drinking water that contains harmful levels of chlorine disinfectants, the EPA announced.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ordered eight Alaskan drinking water systems to conduct the water sampling required to protect human health or face penalties for violating federal drinking water regulations.
The EPA says the eight drinking water systems that service approximately 6,840 residents must report high levels of byproducts of chlorine chemicals used to clean drinking water.
The federal regulatory agency said the byproducts could be harmful to humans. Without reporting on the byproduct levels, many Alaskans could be drinking contaminated water without realizing it.
The EPA said in a statement that the Alaskan Department of Environmental Conservation is responsible for enforcing the rules for the public water system but has so far failed to do so.
