DEQ has 90 days to respond to the petition. U.S. EPA data indicates that as many as 367,000 Michigan citizens in 176 communities may be drinking water with arsenic levels that exceed the now-revoked 10 ppb standard. According to this data, as many as 169,000 Michigan citizens in 76 communities may be drinking water with extremely high arsenic concentrations of 20 ppb or more. In addition, many thousands of citizens in the state are served by private water supplies that contain high levels of arsenic. Although a more protective standard will not directly benefit them, it will lead to greater public health protection through education and awareness.
Children are at special risk owing to their smaller body mass.