Seattle Mayor Paul Schell announced in March that in compliance with EPA Administrator Christie Whitman’s March 20, 2001 withdrawal of the pending arsenic standard for drinking water, issued on January 22, 2001, that the City of Seattle would be adding arsenic to its own water supply in order to reach the maximum allowable level of 50 parts per billion (ppb).

In a prepared statement, Mayor Schell stated, “I hope to have this plan implemented by July of 2001.

“Our levels of arsenic in the Seattle water supply are currently at eight parts per billion (ppb)—well below current standards, and in fact below the level of ten parts per billion (ppb) previously set by the Safe Water Drinking Act, recently rescinded by Administrator Whitman.... I hope to reach maximum compliance with the current EPA standards before any other major American city. This is especially important for the citizens of Seattle in light of the recent announcement of the departure of Boeing’s corporate offices, and the recent setbacks Seattle has suffered with the outsiders who turned our Fat Tuesday celebrations into a riot, and the earthquake.

“The citizens of Seattle, myself included, need something—an accomplishment—that we can all be proud of. By being the first big city to reach the goal of 50 parts per billion (ppb), I think you will agree, that Seattle will be, in spite of recent events, back on the track to becoming the world-class city that truly is its destiny.

“Also in light of the light snow cap and the low water reserves in the Tolt River watershed, I think this plan will aid immensely in our conservation efforts.

“EPA administrator Whitman has called me personally to congratulate me on this forward-thinking idea and encourages all municipal government across the country to follow Seattle’s lead in this effort,” Schell said.

After the Bush administration was forced to roll back allowable arsenic to previous levels, mayor Schell’s office declined comment. Apparently, Seattleites will do without the benefit of extra arsenic for the time being, but we can all applaud mayor Schell for his high standards.