When the Motorola-hired Arizona American Water Company experienced system failure several weeks ago and piped dangerously TCE-contaminated water to residents through their supply system, they set a plan to collect some of the TCE-contaminated water they were processing so that it did not reach homes.

Now the company has 300,000 gallons of water in its reservoir that is contaminated with low levels of TCE. Since the levels are reportedly below the federal MCL of 5ppb for TCE, the company is plotting to dump all 300,000 gallons into the Arizona Canal:

There are municipal water treatment plants downstream from the contamination site - two in Phoenix and one each in Tempe, Glendale and Peoria - that treat water for use in their supplies, according to Salt River Project, which operates the canal. Mark Shaffer, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality spokesman, said Arizona American has the option of discharging treated water into the canal, provided it meets government purity guidelines.

Arizona American has taken out advertisements in local newspapers, including the Tribune, in attempt to reassure customers that potentially contaminated water consumed during the breakdown is unlikely to cause adverse health effects.

In some ways, it's hard for us to know what to make of this. After all, we are not experts in alternative uses of 300,000 gallons of tainted water. That said, at least two questions spring immediately to mind in reading this story:

• If they are so certain the water is "unlikely" to cause adverse health effects, why not deliver it to customers?
• If the company won't supply this water directly to customers, why is it safe to dump in a canal upstream from other water supply sources?

Remember, even low level TCE exposure can cause health problems, including immune system changes.