Protecting Our Water From Microcystin Toxins

Floor Speech

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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce a bill addressing the threat to human health posed by microcystin toxins. Two summers ago, a massive algal bloom exploded in western Lake Erie, generating microcystin, a bacterium causing liver damage, skin blemishes, and nausea. This public health threat necessitated the shutdown of the public water system for 3 days--drastically disrupting the lives of over half a million Americans.

As elected officials, our first priority must always be the safety and security of our constituents. This bill ensures that microcystin will no longer be a public health threat.

It amends the Safe Drinking Water Act by requiring the EPA to determine the maximum safe contaminant level and to promulgate a national primary drinking water regulation for microcystin toxin within 2 years of its enactment.

In realizing the threat posed by microcystin, the old adage ``Mother Nature Doesn't Lie'' is more meaningful than ever. I commend the EPA's work to date on generating a strategic plan for dealing with algal toxins and for publishing an interim standard for microcystin.

The strategic plan and current health advisory the EPA released are a good start, but we need a finalized standard for microcystin which endangers the people of Toledo with our recurring algal bloom problem.

In addition to the public health threat, this bacterium casts a huge economic shadow over our vital and beautiful coast. Toledo's Water Crisis cost the city government over $200,000 in cleanup costs alone, not counting untold millions in lost business and tax revenue.

This concern is not isolated to Lake Erie. Millions of Americans across the country rely on drinking water similarly threatened by increasing levels of nutrient runoff, and the resulting toxic algal growth. A recent study from the USGS showed that algal toxins are present in over \1/3\ of all lakes nationwide. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency recognizes harmful algal blooms as a major environmental problem in all 50 states, with severe impacts on human health.

No one should ever have to worry that the water coming from their tap is unclean and unsafe, no matter if you're in Toledo, Ohio, Flint, Michigan, or anywhere else in this country. This bill will make us all safer.

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