RESOLUTION NO. _____________

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, COUNTY OF SAN MATEO, STATE OF CALIFORNIA

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RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH’S EFFORTS IN OBTAINING A FORMAL POSITION FROM THE CALIFORNIA CONFERENCE OF LOCAL HEALTH OFFICERS ON THE USE OF CHLORAMINE IN DRINKING WATER

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RESOLVED, by the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California, that

WHEREAS, chloramine is a chemical compound used to disinfect drinking water, and it consists of ammonia added to chlorine; and

WHEREAS, the SFPUC oversees the Hetch Hetchy water system which provides service to more than 2.4 million customers in the Counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara and Alameda and the City and County of San Francisco; and

WHEREAS, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) uses chloramine to disinfect water from the Hetch Hetchy water system; and

WHEREAS, the SFPUC acknowledges that there are certain segments in the community that must take precautions in purifying the chloramine-treated water because of its potentially harmful effects to kidney dialysis patients, fish in aquariums and businesses or industries that use water for treatment processes; and

WHEREAS, chloramine may cause corrosive pipe deterioration in certain circumstances, having the potential to release lead and other toxins into water supplies; and

WHEREAS, the San Francisco Department of Public Health has asked the California Conference of Local Health Officers (CCLHO) to take a formal position on the use of chloramine in drinking water; and

WHEREAS, the membership of the CCLHO includes the Public Health Officers from each of the 58 counties as well as three cities which serve in an advisory capacity for the State Department of Health Services, other departments, boards, commissions and officials of federal, state and local agencies, the Legislature and other organizations on all matters affecting health; and

WHEREAS, the mission of the CCLHO is “to prevent disease and promote the health of the public”; and

WHEREAS, one of the listed priority action areas for the CCLHO states: “Environmental health functions are an integral part of public health. There is a continuing need to protect the environment, workplaces, houses, food and water.”; and

WHEREAS, due to the overriding concerns regarding the use of chloramine in drinking water, there is a growing need for an impartial evaluation on the potentially harmful effects caused by chloramine and the CCLHO is in a position to provide that impartial evaluation,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of the County of San Mateo, State of California hereby supports the San Francisco Department of Public Health’s efforts in obtaining a formal position from the California Conference of Local Health Officers on the use of chloramine in drinking water.

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