A new article on water-modeling used to support epidemiological studies at Camp Lejeune has been published in the international peer-reviewed journal WATER. The title of the article is: “Reconstructing Historical VOC Concentrations in Drinking Water for Epidemiological Studies at a U.S. Military Base,” by M.L. Maslia, M.M. Aral, P.Z. Ruckart, and F. J. Bove.
We’ll have a one-on-one interview with Mr. Maslia coming soon to discuss the results and implications. For now, here’s their article, republished from WATER.
Summary:
A U.S. government health agency conducted epidemiological studies to evaluate whether exposures to drinking water contaminated with volatile organic compounds (VOC) at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, were associated with increased health risks to children and adults. These health studies required knowledge of contaminant concentrations in drinking water—at monthly intervals—delivered to family housing, barracks, and other facilities within the study area. Because concentration data were limited or unavailable during much of the period of contamination (1950s–1985), the historical reconstruction process was used to quantify estimates of monthly mean contaminant-specific concentrations. This paper integrates many efforts, reports, and papers into a synthesis of the overall approach to, and results from, a drinking-water historical reconstruction study.
Results show that at the Tarawa Terrace water treatment plant (WTP) reconstructed (simulated) tetrachloroethylene (PCE) concentrations reached a maximum monthly average value of 183 micrograms per liter (μg/L) compared to a one-time maximum measured value of 215 μg/L and exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s current maximum contaminant level (MCL) of 5 μg/L during the period November 1957–February 1987. At the Hadnot Point WTP, reconstructed trichloroethylene (TCE) concentrations reached a maximum monthly average value of 783 μg/L compared to a one-time maximum measured value of 1400 μg/L during the period August 1953–December 1984. The Hadnot Point WTP also provided contaminated drinking water to the Holcomb Boulevard housing area continuously prior to June 1972, when the Holcomb Boulevard WTP came on line (maximum reconstructed TCE concentration of 32 μg/L) and intermittently during the period June 1972–February 1985 (maximum reconstructed TCE concentration of 66 μg/L).
Applying the historical reconstruction process to quantify contaminant-specific monthly drinking-water concentrations is advantageous for epidemiological studies when compared to using the classical exposed versus unexposed approach.
HTML Version: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/8/10/449/html
PDF Version: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/8/10/449/pdf
Image 1:
Water-supply areas with focus on housing areas, barracks, and workplaces included in ATSDR drinking-water exposure and health studies, USMC base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (modified from [1]; 1mi = 1.61km).
Image 2:
Reconstructed (simulated) and measured concentrations of trichloroethylene (TCE) at selected water-supply wells within the Hadnot Point Industrial Area and the Hadnot Point landfill area at USMC base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (modified from [1]).
Image 3:
Reconstructed (simulated) drinking-water and measured concentrations of tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), trans-1,2-dichloroethylene (1,2-tDCE), vinyl chloride (VC), and benzene at the Hadnot Point water treatment plant, USMC base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. (See [1] for a listing of monthly mean drinking-water concentrations; J, estimated; LCM, linear control model; LNAPL, light nonaqueous phase liquid.)
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4 comments
I would like to see the True test on the Camp Lejeune water from 1988-1995.I found Hundreds of infant deaths that are listed during these years. And all died at Camp Lejeune. Many death cert. list the street addresses from T.T. 1 and 11, Midway Park, Camp Geiger all areas of family housing and trailer parks in and motels around Camp Lejeune during 1988-1995. The cut off date is very WRONG! Who came up with this shorten exposure date? Please look at the list on familysearch-dot-org and check for yourself. It’s free, just put in the search bar for years 1988-1995 Camp Lejeune births and deaths. I would like the whole truth to be told.
Please search from 1945-1950 Camp Lejeune infant’s death are extremely high. Today i sent you a list of just Lejeune babies i found during 1945-1950. This should be proof the toxic water start and end dates are way off.
April Risner, I am a former Marine that showed up on Camp Lejeune for Combat Engineer School on January 10, 1988 and was at Courthouse Bay. Once I finished school I was sent to 8th Eng, Suppt. Btln which was and is located right in the middle of a big plume of contamination that was discovered in 1988 coming from underground tanks,
( April 1 1988 — Elizabeth Betz advises that Holcomb Blvd Water expansion was completed in 1987 and
the plant began test operating. Tarawa Terrace and Camp Johnson were not utilized during test periods.
Holcomb Blvd expansion was officially accepted on 01 April1988 and at that point Camp Johnson and
Tarawa Terrace WTPs were closed. (CLW 4993). )
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1542&context=etd2020
( With the discovery of an off-base scapegoat, the other contaminations—TCE and benzene—at Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point fell to the wayside. Later reports determined the TCE had seeped into wells located within one hundred meters of equipment dumping grounds.22 The 1988 discovery of a massive leak within underground fuel tanks, at a rate of 1,500 gallons per month (creating a 1.1 million gallon gasoline lake on top of the Camp Lejeune groundwater), caused a moment of alarm.23 These fuel tanks were dangerously close to several Hadnot Point wells and were the source of the high levels of benzene in HP-602. The fuel spill and resulting benzene contamination quickly became supplanted in Marine Corps press releases by reports of the ABC One-Hour Cleaners’ contamination of the Tarawa Terrace wells. )
https://journals.ala.org/index.php/dttp/article/view/6223/8098
Tarawa Terrace and Camp Johnson WTP’s were not completely shut down in 1987 like the ATSDR and Marine Corps reported. They still supplied Contaminated Water to the Water System. The references to being closed only referred to being shut down momentarily to test the Holcomb Blvd expansion. And was brought back online after each test. I am fighting for my Right to Healthcare and Benefits from this Contamination as I suffer from Parkinson’s Disease – Renal Failure – Diabetes – Liver Cancer and many more conditions. I am 53 years old and running out of life to keep fighting these stonewalls that the USMC – VA – and Congress stall on extending the deadline for Exposure.
Good Luck in your quest to find answers !!!
Im trying to get more information on the base stables water source. I was there from 85 to 87. At the stable almost daily with the my horse. I drank the water, swam with them in the river, washed in the water, etc. I wonder how many of the horses died and how many people who took lessons monthly, boarded horses, etc have diseases from the contamination.