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Chesapeake Water Supply Contaminated With Fly Ash

By Emily Mapp Brannon

A legal battle persists between 400 residents of Chesapeake, Virginia (VA) and Dominion Power due to fly ash contaminating the water supply surrounding the Battlefield Golf Course.

Dominion Power developed the golf course and used 1.5 million tons of fly ash as the foundation of the course, according to wvec.com. The residents claim the fly ash contaminated the well water and they are forced to bathe and brush their teeth in boiled water while only being able to drink purified water.

The lawsuit brought against Dominion by Chesapeake, Virginia (VA) residents is for over $1 billion dollars.

The lawsuit is legitimate considering in December of 2001, just a few months before fly ash first arrived at the Battlefield Golf Course, Dominion consultant URS Corp. reported that building the course on top of fly ash may pose environmental risks, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Instead of spending money at that time to extend the public water lines around the course, Dominion officials put together "sophisticated" tests with enhanced modeling. The results found that using fly ash mixed with a type of binding agent should protect the groundwater, according to a consultant. Clearly Dominion failed to consider that should and will offer two completely different levels of assuredness.

The Environmental Protection Agency tested the water and studies revealed increased levels of arsenic, lead, manganese, chromium and other contaminants in groundwater under the golf course, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Ironically, Dominion wound up spending $6 million dollars to extend the public water drinking lines in the area after concern was raised by Chesapeake residents.

My colleague John Cooper wrote an article about the toxic metal contaminants in the Chesapeake, Virginia (VA) water supply.

As a personal injury attorney, I get so frustrated when big corporations abuse their power and endanger the lives of innocent people. The contaminants found in the water supply in Chesapeake, Virginia (VA) are outrageous and the legal fight must continue. Dominion Power needs to be held accountable for their irresponsible actions.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.

PA

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Emily Mapp Brannon

Full post as published by Norfolk-Portsmouth Personal Injury Lawyer on May 24, 2009 (boomark / email).