Emerging contaminants include pharmaceuticals, personal care products, and endocrine disrupting chemicals that have been discovered in surface and/or ground water. This workshop examined emerging contaminants, particularly endocrine disrupting chemicals, from the perspective of water supply agencies. The workshop was offered by the Potomac DWSP Partnership to interested water suppliers and government agencies at no charge.

Workshop brochure and agenda

Objectives

• Educate water suppliers and government agencies on emerging contaminants in the Potomac basin.
• Provide an overview of currently available data.
• Discuss a plan of action for furthering our understanding of emerging contaminants and their possible impacts on the Potomac River basin as a drinking water supply.

Presentations

• Dana Kolpin, USGS – Pharmaceuticals and Other Emerging Contaminants in Water Resources of the U.S.
• Cherie Miller, Ph.D., USGS – Overview of USGS Studies on Pesticides and Other Toxic Contaminants in the Potomac River Basin
• David Orvos, Ph.D., Sweet Briar College – Pharmaceuticals and EDCs in Water Supplies – Cause for Concern?
• Rominder Suri, Ph.D., P.E., Villanova University – Presence of Estrogen Hormones and Antibiotics in the Environment
• Douglas Chambers, USGS – Sampling for Potential Endocrine-Disrupting Compounds, South Branch of the Potomac River, Cacapon River, and Williams River, West Virginia
• Vicki Blazer, Ph.D.* and Luke Iwanowicz, USGS – Biological Effects of EDCs on Fishes
• Alan Ducatman, M.D.,* WVU School of Medicine and Patricia Colsher, Ph.D., WV Dept of Health & Human Resources – Environmental Questions and Community Concerns: The Role of Public Health Research
• Lisa Ragain, George Washington University – Emerging Contaminants: Risk Communication Strategies for Utilities
• Elaine Francis, Ph.D., U.S. EPA – What are the U.S. EPA’s Programmatic/Regulatory and Research Interests in Endocrine Disruptors?
• Barbara Little, J.D., Jackson Kelly PLLC – Providing Water: Risk of a Litigation Flood?
• Dana Heriegel, J.D., U.S. EPA – Reducing Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water Sources
• Kim Linton, AwwaRF – Emerging Contaminants: What Happens during Potable Water Treatment?

* Presenter of jointly authored paper

Workshop Chair: Martin Chandler, WSSC

Sponsorship: The workshop was funded in part by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission.