COUNCIL VOTES FOR WATER STUDY PROGRAM TO EXPLORE CHROMIUM 6 REMOVAL.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

Los Angeles will launch a research program to explore ways to rid its groundwater supply of chromium 6 as a new effort was made to block the so-called toilet to tap water project in the east San Fernando Valley, officials said Tuesday.

As the City Council voted for an expanded study to determine the levels of chromium 6 - a colorless, odorless chemical considered a carcinogen - in the city's groundwater, it also asked its Environmental Quality Committee to step up its review of the East Valley Water Reclamation Project.

``We should not be putting anything into the water that could result in a public health danger,'' Councilman Joel Wachs said. ``When we are looking at chromium 6, we should also look at what will happen to the city's water supply when we recycle the water.''

The dangers of chromium 6 were chronicled in the movie ``Erin Brockovich'' along with health problems in the city of Hinckley, Calif.

Brockovich appeared before the council two weeks ago urging members to take strong action.

S. David Freeman, Department of Water and Power general manager, said his agency began testing for the element 18 months ago and discovered it in varying amounts, but well below the state's allowable level of 50 parts per billion.

At the same time, he acknowledged there have been recommendations to reduce the allowable amount to 2.5 parts per billion. The problem, he added, is there has been no research done on how to clean it out of water.

``We are prepared to launch a program to study this,'' Freeman said. ``We know where it came from. We had a defense industry in this county that left us a legacy of pollution.

``This is really a federal Superfund problem, but neither the federal EPA nor the state EPA has done diddly squat about it. We need to do research on how to get this out of the water.''

One avenue that holds promise, he said, is an area known as ion transfers.

Freeman said he did not want to shut down the San Fernando Valley wells because they supply 15 percent of the city's water supply. Also, he said there is uncertainty about the quality of replacement water the city would have to buy from the Metropolitan Water District.

``No one has tested the MWD water for chromium 6 and it might be there as well as other elements we are not aware of,'' Freeman said. ``You could be changing one threat for another.''

Also, he said, it could result in up to 10 percent higher water costs if the city has to rely on MWD water.