In the early part of the 1980s, the water at Camp Lejeune was tested and found to be contaminated. Two different industrial solvents were found in water samples. The Camp Lejeune water was supplied by the water treatment plants Tawara Terrace and Hadnot Point, both of which provided water for the barracks, enlisted family housing, recreational areas, base offices, and base schools.
The base hospital was also supplied with water from Hadnot Point, as was an industrial area. Because the area of contamination was so wide-spread, people all over the base were routinely exposed to water that contained dangerous chemicals. If you were on base during the Camp Lejeune water contamination dates, you may have health problems such as cancer that came from your exposure to dangerous chemicals during you or your loved one's military service. You may have also lost a loved one to cancer.
What Caused the Water to be Contaminated?
The Camp Lejeune water contamination was caused by trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE). The source of the PCE was mostly dry cleaning, while the TCE contamination had multiple sources. ABC One-Hour Cleaners, an off-base dry cleaning service, contaminated the groundwater in the area with PCE through improper disposal practices and spills. Dry cleaning operations began contaminating the area nearly as soon as the operations started.
On-base spills at various industrial sites, along with leaks from drums, storage lots, dump sites, and underground storage tanks all contributed to the TCE found in water quality and contaminant tests. Both treatment plants that supplied the Camp Lejeune water were eventually shut down, but it's not easy to be sure how long the contamination was taking place. The PCE contamination was believed to have begun almost immediately, with the TCE contamination not being tested for until the 1980s.
How Long Was the Water Contaminated?
The Camp Lejeune water contamination dates range from 1953 to 1987. Anyone who spent as little as 30 days there during that time may have been impacted by the quality of the water and the chemicals in it. One of the most important things to note is that it's not just military members who were exposed. It was also their spouses, children, and even babies in utero. That resulted in cancers and other sicknesses, along with a lot of premature deaths in men, women, and even children and babies.
Men who came to Camp Lejeune as 18-year-olds just starting out in their military career have died in their 40s and 50s from cancers that had no other known cause. Enlisted men and their wives lost babies to miscarriages, and lost young children to cancers and other health problems. The number of people getting sick within a few years of leaving the base, or becoming ill while they still lived and worked there, continues to grow and remains an ongoing health problem and legal issue.
Contact Wallace and Graham, P.A
If you or a loved one spent at least 30 days at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987, and have health problems such as cancer or other serious illnesses, contact Wallace and Graham today. There are many ways that contaminated water can cause health problems, and the Camp Lejeune water contamination continued to put people at risk for decades. Serious cancers such as mesothelioma come from being exposed to unhealthy chemicals, and victims of this kind of exposure deserve compensation.
Reaching out for help is extremely important, and it allows you to get the support and guidance you need to pursue legal action. By working with us at Wallace and Graham, you can seek compensation for cancer or other illnesses that were caused by the Camp Lejeune water contamination, or that came about from working around asbestos as an auto mechanic or in other roles that compromised your health. Reach out to us today, and let's talk about the facts of your case.