Recall due to Bromate in Water - 5 States

Wegmans Recalls Bottled Water, Due To Bromate
Saturday, August 12, 2006
WBAL Radio and The Associated Press

An upscale grocery-store chain recalled its own brand of bottled water in five eastern states Friday, saying it showed high levels of bromate.

Officials for Rochester-based Wegmans Food Markets Inc. said it was the first time in recent memory they've recalled a product so widely used.

The recall affects 71 stores including the store in Hunt Valley, the supermarket's only store in Maryland.

It also affects stores in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia.

The Environmental Protection Agency says years of drinking water with high bromate levels could lead to a higher risk of cancer. The bromate is created during the disinfection process.

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From the EPA site, http://www.epa.gov/enviro/html/icr/gloss_dbp.html

Bromate is a chemical that is formed when ozone used to disinfect drinking water reacts with naturally occurring bromide found in source water. EPA has established the Stage 1 Disinfectants/Disinfection Byproducts Rule to regulate bromate at annual average of 10 parts per billion in drinking water. This standard will become effective for large public water systems by December 2001 and for small surface water and all ground public water systems in December 2003.

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