ILLINOIS POLLUTION CONTROL BOARD

November

6,

1986

CITY OF JOLIET

)

Petitioner,

V.

)

PCB 86—121

ILLINOIS ENVIRONMENTAL

)

PROTECTION AGENCY,

)

)

RESPONDENT.

DISSENTING OPINION

(by 3.

D.

Dumelle):

The majority opinion notes that 1.12 “excess”

cancer deaths

will occur

in Joliet

in the next 8 years

using the original

U.S.

EPA model

(p.

5).

This shows that radium

in drinking water

is

a short term

danger

to health.

That

is what my dissent is based upon.

I agree

with the majority that

this variance only concerns

new users on newly extended water

lines

(p.

6).

But the cancer

risk is present

in

the short—term

and not after

a “lifetime”.

Radium

is

a carcinogen.

Carcinogens have

no threshold.

The variance from restricted status could have been granted

just

to non—residential uses such as shopping centers and

industries.

Here, people are only present part of the day unlike

in

residences

where

the

children

and

the

elderly

are

present

and

exposed

to the high—radium water

all

of the time.

This variance may be moot.

The transcript of the October

15,

1986 hearing states

“We can’t supply a volume of water

sufficient

to satisfy maximum

day

.

.

.“

(R.tlO).

If Joliet

cannot satisfy maximum day demand then perhaps

a new restricted

status will take effect.

Technology seems to be developing

to

use resins as

a filter

medium

to capture the radium.

If the pilot plant

at Yorkville

proves successful, perhaps that technique can be applied quickly

in Joliet.

How much is

a life worth?

Is that the question?

~

/

~acob

D. Dumelle, P.E.

/

,~hairman

/

74,53

---

—2—

I,

Dorothy M.

Gunn, Clerk of the Illinois Pollution Control

Board, hereby certify that the above Dissenting Opinion was filed

on the

/~2~L~

day

of

7/(-~/~’l986.

//

/

7

/

Dorothy

M.’Gunn,

Clerk

Illinois Pollution Control Board