Residents in Naples left worrying about water

Residents in Naples left worrying about water
By Lisa M. Novak, Stars and Stripes
European edition, Monday, January 19,2009

While the Navy has tested water in many houses in the Naples area, hundreds of residents remain uncertain of risks posed by their current homes and the homes they’ve recently moved out of after the Navy considered them off-limits for leasing due to possible water contamination.

The Navy began assessing health risks in the city and surrounding areas last February, following decades of illegal trash burning, dumping of toxic waste, garbage collection strikes and numerous reports on rising cancer rates and respiratory problems.

A report on the first phase of a health assessment that includes the water testing is due out at the end of the month. The Navy’s findings have so far resulted in a handful of housing relocations and the designation in November of three "New Lease Suspension Zones" to include the towns of Villa Literno, Casal di Principe, Marcianise and Arzano.

The zones were "identified as a precautionary measure," Navy officials said, after testing identified a variety of contaminants including volatile organic compounds and bacteria — including total and fecal coliform — in tap water from homes sampled during the first phase of the study.

"Although NLSZs may change in size and shape, they are likely to remain in place until completion of the Public Health Evaluation set to conclude in the fall of 2009," according to Cmdr. Jeff McAtte, spokesman for the Naples Public Health Evaluation.


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