Bill > HCR54

This concurrent resolution urges the Louisiana Department of Health to comprehensively review and revise its regulations on minimum chlorine concentration levels in public water systems. The resolution highlights that in 2013, the department issued an emergency rule increasing the minimum chlorine concentration to 0.5 parts per million—five times higher than the previous minimum and more than twice the EPA's recommendation. The key concern is the potential long-term health risks associated with elevated chlorine levels, particularly the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), chemical byproducts created when chlorine interacts with organic matter during water disinfection. Epidemiological studies have linked prolonged THM exposure to increased cancer risks, including bladder cancer. The resolution requests that the department consult with independent scientists, environmental health experts, and local water authorities to develop updated guidelines that maintain microbial safety while minimizing health and economic impacts. Additionally, the resolution notes that the current requirements disproportionately affect small and under-resourced water systems and fail to distinguish between the different treatment needs of surface and ground water. The Legislature is requesting that the department align its chlorine concentration requirements with current scientific evidence and federal recommendations.

Health and Social Services

https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?s=25rs&b=HCR54&sbi=y