The drinking water of between 15 and 20 million Californians is contaminated with perchlorate, a salt that is used as the primary component of solid rocket fuel.

Perchlorate poses a health threat by impacting the thyroid's ability to take up iodide and produce thyroid hormone. Even a short term reduction in thyroid hormone can irreparably impair brain development in fetuses and infants, and impact iodide deficient individuals and those already with thyroid problems.

Despite these serious health impacts, there is no federal drinking water standard for perchlorate thanks to pressure from the White House and polluters such as the Department of Defense.

Take action now: Tell Governor Schwarzenegger that we do not want rocket fuel in our drinking water and that we support lowering the perchlorate public health goal.

California is one of only two states that have set a drinking water standard for perchlorate. The California standard is based on a 2004 public health goal of 6 parts per billion (ppb) established by the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).

State law requires that the public health goal be set at the level at which no adverse health impacts are expected. The Department of Public Health then uses the public health goal to set a drinking water standard.

Since 2004, however, research has confirmed that the 6 ppb drinking water standard will not adequately protect our vulnerable populations and Clean Water Action is advocating that it be lowered.

Recently, OEHHA announced that they will reevaluate the perchlorate public health goal in 2009. Clean Water Action has met with OEHHA staff to discuss their reevaluation process and to advocate that they lower the public health goal as the first step in revising our drinking water standard.

Take action now: Tell Governor Schwarzenegger that we do not want rocket fuel in our drinking water and that we support lowering the perchlorate public health goal.