Overview
The story of Camp Lejeune's contaminated water takes place in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Camp Lejeune used to be home to one of the best military training sites in the world. However, its infamous status on an international level is now due to none other than the Camp Lejeune contaminated water scandal.
Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water: A Story
The origin of Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water is no longer a mystery. We now know what most of the primary sources of contamination were. The military base’s water sources were full of chemicals and toxic substances.
Naturally, it was very dangerous for humans to come into contact with this water for so long. People would not only use and wash with this water, but they would also drink it. So, what were the main causes of Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water?
Water Contamination Sources
- Spills and leaks from underground storage tanks
- Constant dumping of waste into the water supply
- Businesses and corporations
- More unknown sources
Businesses, such as the dry cleaner that opened up in the Camp Lejeune area, would dump all of their waste directly into the area’s water supply. This waste would get mixed up in the drinking water as well.
The innocent people living at Camp Lejeune have used and drunk this toxic substance for 34 years. Two of the now-shutdown sources had TCE, PCE, vinyl chloride, benzene, and other chemicals in them. These chemicals can cause a wide array of diseases and health issues.
Water Treatment Plants
The water treatment plants that opened at Camp Lejeune were one of the primary sources of contamination. There are a total of eight water treatment plants located at Camp Lejeune. Three of them are now known to have been contaminated.
The contaminated water plants were:
Tarawa Terrace
The Tarawa Terrace water treatment plant opened in 1952. As soon as it started operating that year, the water there became heavily contaminated. Specifically, it was contaminated with PCE, a very dangerous substance for humans.
PCE (tetrachloroethylene) is said to be a carcinogen. It can cause all of the following:
- Damaged nervous system
- Damaged respiratory system
- Liver damage
- And more.
Hadnot Point
1953 was the year the Hadnot Point water treatment plant opened and started operating. It was later found to be full of TCE. TCE can also cause an array of issues.
Holcomb Boulevard
In 1972, the Holcomb Boulevard water system opened. Very shortly after that, the water was finally tested. The first test was in 1980. In 1985, all contaminated water sources were officially shut down.
Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water: Today
Today, the story of Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water is widely talked about. In fact, as of 2022, Camp Lejeune has never been more popular. This is mainly because of the Camp Lejeune Justice Act (CLJA) of 2022.
All of the contaminated sites, as mentioned above, were shut down in 1985. Even though the water has been clean since then, for many people it was already too late, sadly. The dangerous effects of the chemicals that were found in that water have already harmed countless people.
The Marines of today are protected by the Safe Drinking Water Act, but what about the veterans who lived at Camp Lejeune between 1953 and 1987? There are still a lot of controversies rotating around the very infamous Camp Lejeune lawsuit.
Camp Lejeune Contaminated Water: Lawsuit
Since the Justice Act was finally passed in 2022, many cases have been filed. As the Camp Lejeune contaminated water lawsuit moves into full swing, the case is getting more attention than it used to. This is because there are almost 7 billion dollars at stake now. The victims of Camp Lejeune are finally seen after being ignored for decades.
Another thing to note is that individual settlement amounts could exceed $1 million in some cases. If you or someone close to you served at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between 1953 and 1987, you may be eligible for a large sum of money. It is not recommended to wait and file because the window for submitting claims is very limited. People will only have two years after the law is signed. As it was signed in August of 2022, the party in question will now have until August 2024.
It goes without saying that the sooner a claim is filed, the better. Not only will that ensure more time to find a lawyer who can win your case, but acting sooner will also mean a payout that comes in sooner once your case is won.
To conclude, we strongly believe that all people who have been harmed by Camp Lejeune’s contaminated water deserve justice. Their relatives are also entitled to justice and can seek reimbursement for family members’ medical expenses. We urge all affected people to act now and request their compensation as soon as possible.