Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah RiverThe Voice of the River

A variety of man-made organic chemicals are present in th e North Fork of th e Shenandoah River.

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I n the spring of 2007, the Friends of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River (Friends) deployed organic chemical samplers in the North Fork. Samples were analyzed by the U. S. Geological Survey (USGS). We found 59 manmade organic chemicals present in the river, including: herbicides, insecticides, PCBs, pharmaceuticals, hormones and other chemicals found in home use products. The complete list of chemicals is in our report; online at: http://www.fnfsr.org/whatwedo/traceorganics.html

SIGNS OF A SICK RIVER ince 2004, the North Fork has had major kills of smallmouth bass, sunfish and suckers. Studies of dead and dying fish found they had compromised immune systems, making them susceptible to disease. Additionally, nearly all male smallmouth bass have immature eggs in their testes (intersex). These conditions have been linked to certain manmade organic chemicals, including a number of the chemicals found in the North Fork.

There is growing concern among health care

professionals that low levels of some of these

chemicals can also harm humans.

We need to better understand the presence of these chemicals in our environment and the effects they have on our river and future generationshe Friends of the North Fork are making the investigation and understanding of the effects these manmade chemicals have on the river and drinking water a priority. We are advocating at the federal, state and local levels for better monitoring of their presence in the river and the drinking water of the Shenandoah Valley. We are advocating for more research into their effects on wildlife and human health. Watch our website

for updates on this important issue.

We invite you to become a member of FNFSR and help us in this effort.

For more informationwww. FNFSR. org

or email us atClean.Water@FNFSR.org

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COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS Friends of th e North Fork is making it a priority to increase our understanding of the effects these manmade chemicals are having on the river and on the local community. Join us in this effort:

Support actions at the local, state and national level to reduce the use of pesticides by farmers and lawn care professionals to prevent the runoff of these chemicals into the river.

Ask the US EPA to research the effects of low level manmade chemicals in our water.

Ask EPA to reconsider the current drinking water standards so that our drinking water suppliers know what standards must be met to provide healthy water to all of us.

Ask your drinking water supplier to test periodically for manmade chemicals using methods with the lowest possible detection limits and share the findings with their customers.N

Detailed testing of drinking water down river has shown that some

chemicals are getting through the drinking water treatment process.

USGS tested the finished drinking water to see if the DC treatment system removed

these organic chemicals. Some manmade organics were still present in the drinking water. Certain herbicides and their by-products, including Atrazine, Desethylatrazine, Metolachlor, Simazine and Prometon (also all found in the North Fork) remained in the treated water at low levels. Concentrations for all detected chemicals were less than EPA’s human-health standards. However, standards exist for only about half of the detected chemicals and those standards that do exist are under review for effects on human immune systems.

Drinking water providers are not required to test their finished water for

all of the organic chemicals found in the river. Water that meets drinking water standards may still contain harmful levels of these contaminants.Current standards

Do not exist for many of the chemicals found in the river;Do not address the cumulative or synergistic effects of low levels of multiple chemicals present in drinking water; Do not address effects on our immune and endocrine systems;

And testing methods are not sensitive enough to detect chemicals found in very small amounts.

Standard drinking water treatment does not remove all of the chemicals found in the Shenandoah RiverSeveral towns in the Shenandoah Valley, including Broadway, Woodstock, Strasburg and Winchester, draw their raw drinking water from the North Fork of the

Shenandoah. Even when these communities comply with all government standards, organic chemicals can still be present in the water you drink. The USGS has completed a study of the raw water and treated drinking water for Washington, DC. Twenty-six compounds were detected in the water

withdrawn from the Potomac River downstream of us - many are the same chemicals found in the North Fork. A number of these chemicals remained in the drinking water supplied to Washington, DC.

CONTAMINATED RIVER WATER MAY BE THE SOURCE OF YOUR DRINKING WATER

umerous chemicals with endocrine disruption potential have been found in surface waters around the country. These “disruptors” interfere with the endocrine system and change the growth, development or reproduction of the individual. Endocrine disruption can occur at very low exposures and exhibit a wide range of effects, including cancer, reproductive problems, immune suppression and developmental problems. These effects can occur long after the actual exposure and human exposure to the chemicals in question is widespread.

PERSONAL SOLUTIONS Take action now.

Become an active member of Friends of th e North Fork Keep manmade chemicals out of the river • Avoid using anti-microbial cleaners and soaps or

harsh chemicals around the house.• Dispose of unused drugs and chemicals properly

rather than flushing them down the toilet. • Reduce use of herbicides and other pesticides in

your yard. Consider home treatment of drinking water

to remove manmade chemicals.

For more information, visit:www.smarxtdisposal.net

www.epa.gov/safewater/faq/pdfsfs_healthseries_filtration.pdfwww.fnfsr.org/whatwedo/drinkingwaterinfo.html

What Effect Can These Chemicals Have?