Family Sues Navy Over Water Contamination

A family from Warrington, PA, has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Navy, related to the ongoing water contamination from two local military bases.

The Public Spirit reported that the lawsuit, filed August 30, seeks health assessments and the coverage of medical costs.

The Philadelphia-based environmental law firm Williams, Cuker, Berezofsky is representing the Giovanni family of Warrington, who have claimed that the Navy should be held responsible for “improper disposal of contaminants and hazardous substances” at the Willow Grove and Warminster bases, according to the Public Spirit.

“We had sent a notice of intent to the Navy that we were going to sue them, to force them to do blood testing and health monitoring and a health effect study on the community, because of the contamination of the water supply the Navy caused,” attorney Mark Cuker told the Public Spirit. “What we asked for was the same thing the governor asked for, the three local congressmen asked for, several state legislators, and the Navy never responded to us, so we are suing.”

Testing of the water near both sites have revealed extreme levels of toxic PFCs and PFOAs, both linked to firefighting compounds used at both bases, the Montgomery Media reported.

Cuker added that the Giovanni family who filed the suit thankfully have not experienced any of the symptoms when exposed to the PFCs and PFOAs. However, there have been other local families with conditions such as a “higher risk of bladder, kidney and other types of cancers after long-term exposure,” who have contacted the law firm.

It was in 2003 that the Giovanni family lived near the Willow Grove base, according to the Public Spirit, with water supplied by a private well there. The following year, the family learned that PFOA and PFOS levels in their well were higher than the health advisory level set by the U.S. EPA.

Late last year, the Giovanni family was provided with bottled water from the Navy, which they used for about six months for cooking, drinking, and brushing teeth, according to the complaint obtained by the Public Spirit.

After the family was connected to the Warrington Township Water and Sewer Department’s public water supply, they found out that three of the department’s wells were taken offline for exceeding EPA levels of PFOS, the Public Spirit reported. Two more were taken offline in May 2016 after the EPA lowered the health level.

“Plaintiffs’ consumption and use of water from private and public sources has resulted in significant exposure to one or more PFCs, relative to the general population,” the complaint further read.

To read more about PFCs visit Water Online’s Source Water Contamination Solutions Center.