Navigation Water Contamination at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base
From 1957 through 1987, the drinking water at Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base in North Carolina was contaminated with poisonous chemicals. Millions of marines have been impacted by this water contamination. United States Marine Corps (USMC) service members and their families living at the base bathed in and ingested tap water that was contaminated with harmful chemicals at concentrations from 240 to 3400 times levels permitted by safety standards. Several former base residents have later developed cancer and other deadly ailments, which many blame on the contaminated water.
U.S. Government Ignores Victims for Decades
For decades after the discovery of the contaminated water, victims were ignored by the US government. It was not until July 18, 2012, that Congress passed the Camp Lejeune Families Act of 2012. It granted specific health benefits to any veteran who served on active duty at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for at least 30 days between January 1, 1957, and December 31, 1987.
