Abstract
This article documents the first known in situ electrochemical production of perchlorate within a public water distribution system. In this detailed incident, perchlorate (ClO4−) was detected in the distribution system of Levelland, Texas, and was eventually isolated to one elevated storage tank. Theoretical considerations supported the production of ClO4− by an electrochemical process within the tank. ClO4− was produced (64–113 μg/L in 338 h) in laboratory experiments that simulated the cathodic protection system in place in the storage tank. Because cathodic protection systems are widely used, this research confirms a potentially troubling mechanism of ClO4− generation.
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