MILLIONS NEEDED FOR WELLS CLEANUP, MAINTENANCE COSTS HIGH.

Byline: Heather MacDonald Staff Writer

SANTA CLARITA - Removal of chromium 6, arsenic and other pollutants from county-owned water wells in the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys could cost as much as $315 million, according to a county-ordered report.

Fifth District Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich ordered the review after more than two dozen wells in northern Los Angeles County, mostly in Antelope Valley, were shown to have higher-than-average levels of chromium 6.

The report by McGuire Environmental Consultants Inc. estimates that the annual cost of maintaining the treatment infrastructure could reach $28.6 million, in addition to capital costs.

Water purveyors in Los Angeles County were ordered to test their water for chromium 6 in 2000 after an Oscar-winning movie, ``Erin Brockovich,'' prompted concern about the chemical that has been shown to cause cancer when inhaled. Its danger to people when ingested is unclear.

All of the tests so far have shown the level of chromium and chromium 6 in Los Angeles County's water are well below state and federal action levels, water officials said.

``We're pleased with our water quality, and the water is safe to drink,'' said Ken Pellman, a spokesman for the county Department of Public Works. ``It's up to the Board of Supervisors whether to take any of the steps outlined in the report.''

If adopted by the board, the plans would affect wells operated by the county, which supplies drinking water to Palmdale, Lancaster, Little Rock and other nearby communities, Pellman said.

Chromium can seep into groundwater through several sources, such as steel, pulp mills, dye and paint pigments, wood preservatives, chromium and erosions of natural mineral deposits, studies show.

The cost of a less aggressive approach to removing the pollutants would range from $27 million to $63.2 million, according to the report. Maintaining the system under that plan would range from $27 million to $63.2 million, the report said.

In 1999, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment established a public health goal of 2.5 parts per billion for total chromium and 0.2 parts per billion for chromium 6. However, the agency later withdrew that recommendation, saying its initial risk assessment was flawed.

The state requires less than 50 parts per billion of chromium in drinking water, while the federal standard is 100 parts per billion.

In 2000, the county's Environmental Toxicology Bureau found 32 of 44 county wells had levels of chromium 6 ranging from 2.8 parts per billion to 17.6 billion parts per billion.

Another county-ordered study of 220 privately owned wells found that 35 percent are contaminated with chromium 6, nearly half are tainted with arsenic, and lead was detected in 43 percent of the wells.

Trace amounts of chromium 6 were found in 25 private wells from Aqua Dulce to Gorman - all far below recommended action levels.