Program to Test Success of Reducing Chromium-6

Grant money secured for pilot program in Coachella to test efficacy of lowering levels of Chromium-6 in city’s drinking water.

COACHELLA – With the State Water Resources Control Board expected to issue a new chromium-6 drinking water standard later this year, a pilot study demonstrating the value of stannous chloride is the city’s most cost-effective option in complying with the forthcoming standard, according to a news release.

Coachella has received $500,000 in grant money from the offices of Sen. Steve Padilla, D-San Diego, and Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia. The money will pay for the development of a Stannous Chloride Pilot Program to test the efficacy of stannous chloride in the community’s drinking water to reduce levels of chromium-6.

Hexavalent chromium, or chromium-6, is the cancer-causing chemical that poisoned the community of Hinkley, Calif., made notorious by the 2000 film “Erin Brockovich.”

Chromium-6 is a form of the element chromium that is usually produced by industrial processes but can occur naturally. It is commonly used for anti-corrosion metal coating, wood preservation and textile dyeing. It has been detected in groundwater because of these industries’ pollution, and from natural gas compression stations that use it as an anti-corrosion agent in cooling water.

“We are grateful to have this critical support for our community. This latest half a million-dollar state investment will support vital water quality improvements that are necessary to improve the quality of life for our residents,” Mayor Pro Tem Neftali Galarza said in a statement.

The expectation is that this Pilot Program will supply additional information potentially needed by the State Water Board regarding alternate chromium-6 treatment technologies like stannous chloride. Prior testing has revealed that stannous chloride, an approved drinking water additive used to protect water pipes from corrosion, could safely and cost effectively lower levels of chromium-6 in its water system.

“Smart investments in drinking water for historically underserved communities and in innovation should always be a priority for the state. I am proud we were able to get this done,” Padilla said in a statement.