Apr 20, 2009 6:58 pm US/Central
Crestwood Residents Outraged By Contaminated Water
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
People in Crestwood are worried about the news that they have been drinking contaminated water for decades. Cook County Commissioner Joan Murphy is just one of the people touched by cancer in Crestwood, although she thinks the water there is safe. But Governor Pat Quinn wants to know why it may have been contaminated for more than 20 years. As CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports the governor is demanding answers from the Illinois EPA.
Residents are infuriated that the
village of Crestwood kept using the contaminated well for more than two decades after state officials warned them to stop, because it contained poisons.
"I'm outraged. I'm furious," said Crestwood resident Yolanda Szymusiak. "We trusted them."
"Very devastating. For years, I used to have people say, 'Why are you always sick?' It makes me think back, does it have to do with the drinking water?" said Crestwood resident Tina Antonelli.
When CBS 2 visited Crestwood's contaminated well beneath the water tower, a number of neighbors came up to tell their cancer stories.
"All this stuff, got lymphoma all over. Everything we've read about. That's what my wife died from," said Crestwood resident Jim Gray.
Jim Gray said his wife died of lymphoma, a cancer he claimed is linked to chemicals found in this well. Gray was flabbergasted to learn that his village had illegally used the well for drinking water until 17 months ago.
"I didn't even know we had a well here to be honest with you," Gray said.
In the face of residents' rising anger, Crestwood Mayor Robert Stranczak declined even to talk to reporters.
"I think that increases everybody's outrage and even animosity towards 'em," said Crestwood resident Michelle Laflin. "Why is there no explanation?"
Cook County Commissioner Joan Murphy is one of the few who said she did talk Monday to Crestwood Mayor Robert Stranczak. Murphy's husband Donald died of cancer several years ago.
"I would urge people to be tested. Go to the doctor and have a test to see if they have any kind of cancer in their system," Murphy said.
But Murphy does not believe village officials intended to do anything wrong.
"We need to get all the facts," Murphy said. "I mean, before we have a lynch mob, we need to get all the facts."
The Illinois Department of Public Health said: "We did a study 1998-2002 (and) found nothing significant as far as cancer rates."
But residents remain skeptical.
"I don't trust them after they lied, after they weren't supposed to be using the water in the first place," said Crestwood resident Jennifer Gray.
So why did Crestwood keep using the contaminated well water for more than 20 years after the state ordered the village to stop? A spokeswoman for the Illinois EPA said the village lied to her agency until December 2007 when the well was finally shut down.
Attorney General Lisa Madigan says her office is reviewing the matter. Gov. Quinn said state law may have to be tightened up in order to prevent this sort of thing from happening in the future.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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