Published in the Asbury Park Press
Editorial
Is Toms River water as clean as the state reports? I attended the Citizen Action Committee on Childhood Cancer Cluster meeting Nov. 13 at which the health assessment on Toms River drinking water was released.
These reports are very limited in their search for the truth in finding the cause of a "cancer cluster" in Toms River. There are two toxic chemical Superfund sites and a toxic landfill here. State and federal officials have a list of the hundreds of chemicals found on these sites. They were asked at the meeting whether the chemicals found on these sites were tested as part of the water report. One would think that the state would perform these tests to help protect the citizens in Toms River from potential contamination. The answer was "no."
For this assessment, a standard water test was performed. They looked at only 82 chemicals. Hundreds of chemicals have been found on these sites, which have contaminated our aquifers.
It has been reported that Toms River water is no different than similar systems in South Jersey:
1. I was not aware that all of South Jersey had the same contaminant, trichloroethylene, in their water supplies. Studies have linked this chemical with an increased risk of cancer.
2. I was not aware the school systems in South Jersey had the same health advisory in response to which they have to flush or run their drinking water for several minutes each day to remove the elevated copper and lead found in their drinking water.
3. That styrene-acrylonitrile trimer was found outside of Toms River drinking water.
4. That towns other than Toms River had to blend some of the water from their wells to reduce the radiological activity. Exposure to radium has been linked to an increased risk of bone and sinus cancers.
Residents must ask questions and learn the truth so they can make sure their families are safe. Minimizing this issue may be doing a great injustice.
Melanie Anderson
MOTHER OF A CHILD DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER
TOMS RIVER
Source: Asbury Park Press
Published: November 19, 1999
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