In Illinois, Tricia Krause isn’t the most popular mom in the neighborhood. But she couldn’t care less. She’s fighting against the town of Crestwood, claiming its water made her family ill.
The single mom of 3 has 2 kids with health problems and a small business to run. Her son had leukemia and her daughter had a brain tumor. She’s got her hands full, but she’s still fighting against her former hometown, where all three kids were born.
I’m so sad and angry and disappointed about this.
The Chicago Tribune reported on the Crestwood problem just the day before Earth Day. Their story claims that the village, population 11,000, served residents tainted water for 20 years. While Crestwood officials boasted that they had the cheapest water in the county–“Good to taste but not to waste!”–they were giving residents a “taste” of carcinogens.
Krause says her kids were directly affected by the cost-saving measures. She’s now suing the city of Crestwood.
This isn’t some case of pointing fingers, either. Krause scoured records for years, searching for a cause to what she saw around her: a sea of cancer patients (400 of the city residents).
On a tip, she requested documents for water ledgers, logs and other documents related to the Crestwood’s well. That proved to be the source of the problem, and she passed her findings on to the Chicago Tribune.
Crestwood was supposed to be getting the tap water for residents from Lake Michigan. Why? The local well was contaminated with dangerous chemicals related to a dry-cleaning solvent. Crestwood officials were made aware of this 24 years ago, and pledged to avoid the well unless absolutely necessary.
They didn’t. According to the Trib:
State officials haven’t tried to answer that difficult question but say the risks were minimal because the well water was heavily diluted with treated lake water.
However, it generally isn’t acceptable to rely on dilution to ensure water is safe to drink. One of the chemicals found in Crestwood’s well, vinyl chloride, is so toxic that the U.S. EPA says there is no safe level of exposure.
Krause is angry about the whole mess of it, and no longer lives in Crestwood. The good news? Her children, now almost grown, are healthy, and very proud of their mother. Her daughter, Brianne, said
I’m proud of her and what she’s managed to do. It’s just one voice, you know?
Her fight can give us all a bit of hope, can’t it?
Image: tripleigrek on Flickr under a Creative Commons License
You know stories like this make me feel like we are living in a movie. I cannot fathom that this is even happening. And you know what will probably happen now? Government agencies and independent companies will try harder to hide these records from the public.
What a brave mother. It’s hideous that some places can ignore the health of their citizens so blatantly.
I’m all for being frugal, but there’s a big difference between cutting excess spending and cutting corners. Yikes!
The home where I grew up had well water. The arsenic levels in it were acceptable under the EPA standard at the time but are now considered too high. So I am concerned about the longterm effects of drinking that water as a kid. But at least it was naturally occurring arsenic rather than any human contamination.
How much of these toxins really come from cigarette butts littered in the trillions a year?…think Erin Brockovich, but the source is every littering smoker….Bioaccumulation is how this happens, and ive made it a goal to educate people, smokers and non on the real dangers of littering a product that was invented to stop harmful chemicals from entering the body when you smoke a cigarette. Responsible Smokers Act Takes a unique approach by making public ashtrays from the litter itself to provide a shock and awe, while educating of the “Real” problem, while making the litter a valuable resource to provide locations for proper disposal.
Tricia Krause deserves a medal. She is fighting the good fight for what we all deserve and have a right to, safe and clean water. You should see how the supporters of the village administration, who perpetrated this inhuman injustice and crime have tried to villify her… they have waged a smear campaign against this woman.
Give her a medal and the thanks of all of those who like to drink water that’s not contaminated with cancer causing chemicals.
I just want to congradulate you for your persistance that truly is paying off! We have talked about your situation, and mine cleaning up radioactive waste in Red Gate Woods in our Cook County Forest Preserves.
I just wish that mayor Chester and his nit wit son Robert were on trial! Going to the big house doing hard time in the same cell with BuBa!
God bless you for all your hard work on behalf of your kids, and the residents of Crestwood!