Camp Lejeune Housing Water Supply Contaminated for Three Decades, Federal Agency Finds

Why it matters locally: Camp Lejeune, located in Jacksonville, North Carolina, served as home to approximately 75,000 residents whose drinking water was contaminated with PCE for 30 years, potentially exposing military families and base personnel to serious health risks.

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The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) reported that the drinking water system serving the Tarawa Terrace family housing area at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina contained tetrachloroethylene (PCE). The contamination spanned from November 1957 to February 1987. PCE, a dry cleaning solvent, affected roughly 75,000 residents during the identified period, according to the ATSDR analysis. The agency released its findings after a review of the water supply system. The ATSDR investigated the historical water distribution at the base and determined the period of contamination.