Oregon Public Broadcasting

State environmental quality officials want to know what you think are the most dangerous chemicals in the water.

The Department of Environmental Quality is holding a series of public hearings across the state – including a session in North Bend on Tuesday.

Ethan Lindsey reports.

A group of scientists handpicked by the state came up with a draft list of 175 “priority, persistent pollutants.”

The list is supposed to hold the worst offenders -- toxic, but also persistent in the environment or absorbed by people and wildlife.

But what’s on the list has sparked controversy.

Farmers say there are too many pesticides. Conservationists say the chemical in ‘Roundup’ should be included.

Joseph Rinella is with the U.S. Geological Survey. He was on the panel that selected the list – but doesn’t speak for the group.

Joseph Rinella: “It is nice to do exactly the process that we did. But it would have been helpful, had we had more time, to also have included a good thorough analysis of the likelihood of finding these chemicals in Oregon waters.”

The state must now develop a plan to detect and reduce those chemicals from the water supply.

The DEQ's public meeting in Portland on "priority pollutants" is March 19th.