The American government has been battling water contamination for many years. According to PBS News, nearly half of the country’s tap water contains toxic forever chemicals like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Even with stringent regulatory rules, unsafe levels of harmful chemicals can sometimes contaminate public water supplies.
It happens because of urban activities like waste disposal methods, industrial discharges, agriculture, etc. Moreover, synthetic contaminants can seep into the groundwater via toxic chemical spills or fuel leakage.
When big corporations try to cover up such contamination mistakes, it affects regular people the most. For instance, prolonged exposure to chemical compounds in water can lead to health issues like many types of cancer, respiratory problems, fertility issues, etc. When that happens, the victims become furious and want to seek justice through legal routes.
In this blog, we will discuss three such water contamination incidents that led to lawsuits.
#1. The Camp Lejeune Incident
Camp Lejeune (a military base in North Carolina) was established in the 1940s. Initially, this Navy base was the nation’s pride. However, in the early 1980s, researchers found high levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the drinking water.
The Hadnot Point and Tarawa Terrace water treatment plants had high levels of solvents like trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene, and perchloroethylene (PCE). Between 1953 and 1987, Camp Lejeune experienced a massive contamination incident that exposed the residents to harmful chemicals.
Upon further investigation, the researchers traced the source of the contamination to an off-base dry cleaning company. This company used illegal waste disposal methods that led to accidental chemical spills. Other than that, on-base spills resulting from industrial leaks in underground storage tanks contributed to this contamination.
For over 30 years, the residents drank, bathed, and washed clothes or dishes in the contaminated water. As a result, they developed health issues like different types of cancer, fertility problems, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, etc.
Even though the affected individuals were furious, it wasn’t until 2022 that they filed a Camp Lejeune lawsuit. They could only file these lawsuits and seek justice once the PACT Act and the Camp Lejeune Justice Act were passed. These allowed the victims to sue the government for the inability to warn the Camp Lejeune residents about the water contamination.
The victims wanted compensation for their suffering, lost wages, medical bills, and permanent disability benefits. Ideally, the individual settlements could range between USD 10,000 and USD 500,000.
According to TorHoerman Law, this compensation will depend on the strength of the plaintiff’s case. That’s why lawyers ask Camp Lejeune victims to provide proof of residence, medical diagnosis, travel records, healthcare information, etc.
#2. The Woburn Water Crisis
Since 1964, the residents of Woburn, Massachusetts, have complained about foul smells in their drinking water supply. They also noticed that the children were becoming sicker once the water’s smell started deteriorating. Hence, the residents wanted the government to find a solution.
However, it wasn’t until May 1979 that researchers discovered huge barrels of TCE and PCE leaking into the Aberjona River in Woburn. Three local factories dumped this toxic waste into the water supply between 1960 and 1970. Upon testing it, researchers confirmed that the presence of industrial fluids was incredibly high. Unfortunately, high levels of other organic compounds were also found in the city’s public drinking wells.
From then on, official investigations regarding environmental hazards in Woburn began. It also paved the way for community activism in the city. Within a year, the government found 12 cases of leukemia among children.
That was the last straw because the families soon filed civil lawsuits against the perpetrators. These plaintiffs wanted compensation for the industrial negligence and failure to warn about water contamination. They wanted payouts for wrongful death, medical bills, and more. By 1986, the victims had received compensation of USD 8 million for their suffering.
But despite the USD 21 million cleanup efforts, the Woburn water supplies still exceeded the state’s maximum PFAS limits in 2021. It proves that chemicals and synthetic compounds can linger in the water supply for many decades.
#3. The Flint Water Crisis
It all started in 2014 when the government made a terrible decision to switch the drinking water supply in Flint, Michigan. The authorities shifted the city’s water supply from Detroit’s Lake Huron to the Flint River.
Since this was a cost-saving move, it happened without proper planning and testing. That’s why the distribution pipes corroded, and lead seeped into the municipal drinking water. Unfortunately, the toxic lead contamination levels soon exceeded the legal limits by 880 times.
The government claimed that they weren’t aware of this issue. That’s why they failed to respond to this crisis. As a result, the officials overlooked many issues with the water quality. They also disregarded the residents’ complaints about bad-tasting, discolored, and foul-smelling water.
For almost 18 months, the Flint residents were forced to use this contaminated water. Soon, they developed skin rashes and suffered hair loss. The contamination also contributed to the high blood lead levels in children. With the help of doctors, journalists, activists, and scientists, the victims realized the government’s mismanagement.
As a result, over 90,000 Flint residents filed lawsuits against the government and businesses responsible for this scandal. After a successful fight for justice, a Michigan judge approved a USD 626 million payout from the defendants to compensate the plaintiffs.
In summary, industrialization in America has paved the way for unfortunate water contamination incidents. The Camp Lejeune, Flint, and Woburn incidents are historical reminders of what not to do. These are proof of environmental injustice, corporate misconduct, and bad decisions. Big corporations and the government should learn from these events and avoid making such mistakes again.