(WHDH) — More than 100,000 cancer cases could be caused by carcinogenic chemicals in tap water in the United States over the course of a lifetime, a new study found.
Researchers analyzed the nation’s drinking water from 2010 to 2017 and found the majority of the cancer risk comes from the presence of arsenic, disinfection byproducts, and radioactive contaminants, according to a cumulative analysis published in the journal Heylion.
“Water contaminants present in large communities contribute a significant share of overall cancer risk associated with drinking water,” the study said.
Researchers analyzed water quality profiles for 48,363 community systems, finding high-risk communities include those who rely on small groundwater systems, and in some cases, single water systems could also carry multiple cancerous contaminants.
Researchers say exposure to contaminants can have a harmful effect on your health over time.
“Decreasing the levels of chemical contaminants in drinking water represents an important opportunity for protecting public health,” the study said.
The study found that arsenic alone can lead to 45,000 cancer cases.
In total, they looked at water data for about 279 million people served by public systems.
Researchers did not examine water that came from private wells.
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