Brockovich Addresses Royal Palm Beach Cancers

The Fight For Truth is Just Beginning

Oct 15, 2009 Tammy Bergen

In Royal Palm Beach, Florida, there has recently been a high number of cancer diagnoses. These are some things everyone involved in South Florida should know.

On October 8th, 2009, Erin Brockovich brought her celebrity status and the law firm of Weitz and Luxenberg to Palm Beach County. Many residents in the area stated they are worried they may be drinking radioactive water and suffering terribly as the result of environmental pollutants. Ms. Brockovich and her team have agreed to help.

Erin Brockovich's Town Hall Meeting

Lemuel Srolovic, the lead investigator for the firm, stated, “There is widespread radiation in the groundwater in the Acreage community. In fact, it was in 80% of the homes tested by D.E.P..”

They were just as quick to state that this does not mean that the fight for truth will be easy or even profitable. Ms. Brockovich stated that the process, "will be a daunting, long and complicated task at taking a look at what appears to be a larger number than expected of women and children who have brain tumors and/or brain cancers and what that cause could be."

The meeting was attended by residents who included cancer survivors, cancer sufferers and their families, a research professor, tradesman who specialize in dealing with removing pollutants from water in areas like the Acreage, and real estate agents.

Preliminary Results, Future Testing

The panel explained at length about the testing they had already done, and what it means. Lemuel Srolovic indicated that the results of testing so far concluded that radiation found in the water of approximately 10% of the homes they had tested exceeded the Florida Drinking Water Standard of 15 and 5 Picocuries. Based on the Phase I data collected by the Department of Environmental Protection, their own data, and epidemiological evidence from around the world, they believe “the correct public health focus is on radioactivity in the groundwater.”

Residents recognized there are many factors that need to be considered before the cause of the cancers and other diseases in the Acreage can be conclusively determined. They brought up concerns including the interactive hydrology of the state of Florida, water filtration systems in use by the residents, the adverse effects of pollutants on gardens, the use of radioactive wastewater for spraying on nearby orange groves, the possibility of other sources of radiation, the change in population in the area since the last census and the effect on pets.

Water Travels, and Takes Its Pollution With It

As was brought up in the meeting, Florida has several water systems that need to be studied. According to the US Geologic Survey study on the Review of Aquifer Storage and Recovery in the Floridan Aquifer System of Southern Florida published in 2004, the water in the aquifers of South Florida does mix, and specifically lists radionuclides as a current or potential problem.

Hurricanes, larger storms and tornadoes can move immense amounts of surficial water over vast areas in very short periods, depositing it into new places. As the press is fond of pointing out, Florida is often on the receiving end of these huge and damaging storms.

The Acreage residents continue to study the issues, hold meetings and work with government officials.

Sources for this article are:

The Acreage Residents' website:

www.theacreagecancerstudy.com/

Video of the Brockovich Town Hall Meeting – Part One:

www.youtube.com/watch

Video of the Brockovich Town Hall Meeting – Part Two:

www.youtube.com/watch

The National Hurricane Center:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/#f-scale3

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