Officials dispute poor LA drinking water report

County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich ordered the follow-up study of local drinking water after a report released in December by the Washington-based Environmental Working Group ranked the city Department of Water and Power 83rd out of 100 cities and the Metropolitan Water District 58th.

In the follow-up study, the county's weights and measures, public health and other departments tested water at eight DWP and MWD treatment plants and pumping stations and found the water meets California drinking water standards.

In the county report released Thursday, Chief Executive Officer Bill Fujioka wrote it was important to note that the MWD and DWP had serious reservations with respect to the ranking methodology used by the nonprofit environmental watchdog.

"Specifically, according to the (California Department of Public Health), the methodology was never reviewed or endorsed by any regulatory agency and constitutes not only an inappropriate use of water quality data and standards, but also an inaccurate interpretation of drinking water standards," Fujioka wrote.