LA HCR54

Louisiana Department of Health is urged to review and revise regulations on minimum chlorine concentration levels in public water systems to align with current scientific evidence and federal EPA recommendations.

A 2013 emergency rule increased the state's minimum required chlorine concentration to 0.5 parts per million—five times higher than the previous minimum and more than twice the EPA-recommended level—and has not been revised in over a decade.

Elevated chlorine levels contribute to the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs), carcinogenic byproducts linked by epidemiological studies to increased risk of bladder cancer and other cancers.

The resolution requests consultation with independent scientists, environmental health experts, and local water authorities to develop updated disinfection guidelines balancing microbial safety with health and economic concerns.

Current elevated chlorine requirements place significant financial burdens on small and under-resourced local water systems, particularly since ground water may need less disinfection than surface water.