What types of chemicals were in the water at Camp Lejeune?
During the 1980s, routine testing of the drinking water at Camp Lejeune revealed chemicals in the wells that delivered water to Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point water treatment plants. These wells pumped groundwater into the water systems.
Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point supplied water to enlisted family housing, barracks for unmarried service personnel, administrative offices, schools, and recreational areas from the early 1950s through 1987. Hadnot Point also delivered water to the base hospital and an industrial area.
Chemicals in the Water at Camp Lejeune Discovered During 1984-1985 Testing
In 1984, Camp Lejeune began routine testing of water wells at the base. Testing revealed contamination by chemicals known as volatile organic compounds or VOCs. The four main chemicals found in the wells included:
- Tetrachloroethylene (PCE or perchloroethylene)
- Trichloroethylene (TCE)
- Benzene
- Vinyl chloride (VC)
VOCs
TCE and PCE belong to a class of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which include solvents and fuels that easily evaporate. Volatile organic compounds are used to clean metal components of machines and are also used in dry cleaning.
Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)
The main contaminant found in the wells that delivered water to Tarawa Terrace was tetrachloroethylene (PCE). The source was ABC One-Hour Cleaners, an off-base dry-cleaning facility that cleaned many of the uniforms between 1954 and 2005.
The small family-owned business used PCE, a common dry-cleaning solvent. PCE was released into the soil and groundwater through the septic tank system and was also improperly buried near one of the facility’s buildings, resulting in soil and groundwater contamination.
In 1989, the EPA and North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources identified unacceptable levels of PCE in the soil and groundwater and the site was placed on the Superfund Program’s National Priorities List (NPL) the same year.
Trichloroethylene (TCE)
The primary contaminant in the wells that delivered water to Hadnot Point was trichloroethylene (TCE). The sources that likely contributed to the contamination include spills at industrial sites on the base, leaking underground storage tanks and drums at disposal sites and storage lots.
Benzene
Benzene was detected in the finished water at Hadnot Point in 1985. It was also detected in Tarawa Terrace but at much lower than the U.S. standard. The colorless chemical has a sweet odor and does not dissolve completely in water. Although some industries use benzene to manufacture plastics, resins, nylons, and synthetic fibers, the chemical also occurs naturally in crude oil and gasoline.
Vinyl Chloride (VC)
Vinyl chloride (VC) is a byproduct of the breakdown of trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE). At room temperature, VC is a colorless gas but is a liquid under pressure or at lower temperature conditions. The chemical, which has a mild, sweet odor, dissolves slightly in water and was found in drinking water samples at both Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point.
ATSDR’s Position on Camp Lejeune Water Contamination
The Agency of Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has been studying the effects of chemicals in Camp Lejeune drinking water since 1993. The ATSDR is a federal public health agency that is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The ATSDR’s position is that past exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE), tetrachloroethylene (PCE), vinyl chloride, and other contaminants in the drinking water from the 1950s through February 1985 “likely increased the risk of cancers (kidney, multiple myeloma, leukemias, and others), adverse birth outcomes, and other health effects of residents (including infants and children), civilian workers, Marines and Naval personnel at Camp Lejeune.”
A Path Forward
The passage of The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 provides an opportunity for veterans, family members, and civilians who lived and worked at the base for more than 30 consecutive days between 1953 and 1987 to seek compensation.
Contact our Camp Lejeune attorney for information on filing a claim.