Is water linked to illnesses?

Jessica Farrish
Register-Herald Reporter

April 16, 2009 11:25 am

— OAK HILL — Bev Walkup of Ramsey has fibromyalgia — a mysterious syndrome that manifests itself with chronic, widespread pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances.
Walkup, who was diagnosed five years ago, said she was surprised when she learned that one of her neighbors also had the syndrome.
A little later, Walkup learned another neighbor in her Fayette County community had been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Across the street, a man was also diagnosed with MS.
A fourth neighbor died of cancer. Then, two more of Walkup’s neighbors died from cancer.
All of them lived within a mile of one another, Walkup said.
“We got to talking to our neighbors, and there were several more that had the fibromyalgia,” she said. “It got kind of suspicious.”
Cindy Bennett, 50, of Ramsey, also has fibromyalgia. She explained both she and her 23-year-old son have health issues related to their stomachs.
According to Samantha Gilkeson Gerwig, president of the Ansted Health Society, the areas of Ramsey, Ansted, Hico, Lookout, Lansing and Victor are suffering from an unusually high rate of cancer, fibromyalgia, kidney disease, brain tumors, asthma, infertility, thyroid problems, sinus infections and arthritis.
“One (cancer victim) was even in the third grade,” she reported. “I have a family member in the area who is younger than I am who was battling multiple cancers.”
Gerwig, a 29-year-old Ansted resident, helped form the health society, which is collecting data on the health histories of people residing in the area.
The group is sending out health surveys and intends to present the findings to the Centers for Disease Control and other agencies.
“Right now, we’re just in the beginning phase of collecting the information we need,” Gerwig said. “We need everybody in the community to complete their surveys.”
The 50 surveys that have been completed lists at least one illness, according to Gerwig.
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Gerwig grew up in Ansted and suffered health problems as a child.
She moved to Tucker County for nearly five years and the health issues stopped.
When she returned to her hometown, her health began to suffer again.
“The lifestyle didn’t change,” she said. “It’s all just the location.”
Gerwig said she believes the area is “contaminated.”
“It’s a serious thing,” she said. “I believe we’ve been contaminated in some way, and either nobody knew about it or nobody has said anything.”
Walkup believes wells and other water sources in the Ramsey area are possibly making families sick. She has spearheaded an effort to have public water service extended to the Ramsey area from the local New Haven Public Service District.
Around 64 Ramsey residents currently want PSD service, she reported.
According to Walkup, most Ramsey residents rely on individual wells or springs or haul water from a PSD source.
A recent test conducted by Fayette County Health Department on 16 Ramsey water sources revealed that 12 of the sources tested positive for coliform bacteria and e. coli bacteria, according to Walkup.
Coliform and e. coli are the two bacteria the health department of typically tests for in water contamination testing.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, coliform bacteria are not “generally harmful” but indicate the water may be contaminated with germs that can cause disease.
Coliform bacteria can also point to a problem in the water delivery system.
The presence of fecal coliform and e. coli indicates the water may be contaminated with human or animal wastes.
Microbes in the waste can cause short-term effects like diarrhea, cramps, nausea and headaches. Some can be severe or fatal to people with severely weakened immune systems, according to EPA guidelines.
Some strains of e. coli can cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia.
“When the test comes in (from the lab), it just says, ‘Yes, you have it,’ or ‘No, you don’t,’” Walkup said. “It doesn’t tell the amount (of the contamination).”
Walkup said she made Delegate Margaret Staggers, D-Fayette, and Fayette Commissioner Matt Wender aware of the problem.
The Fayette Health Department will be conducting another water test soon for Ramsey residents who aren’t carrying in PSD water, Walkup said.
“We’re going to ask the county commission to pay for some of these water testings for some who can’t afford it,” she said.
She added that the health department should test for metals in the drinking water.
Walkup also would like to see abandoned mines in the area re-tested by the state Department of Environmental Protection.
She said DEP reclaimed one of the mines and tested it in 1993.
Although no contamination was discovered then, Walkup said she believes another is necessary to help isolate possible causes of the cluster of health problems people in Ramsey are experiencing.
Kenny Hayes, chairman of the New Haven PSD, said he supports Ramsey residents in their quest for clean water.
He added the PSD is assisting them in that goal.
The PSD is looking at various funding options, which may include draw downs of federal stimulus funds, and is working to devise a plan for extending the system to Ramsey and nearby areas.
The areas are rural, which means funding must be aggressively pursued.
Hayes said New Haven PSD had offered to provide water service a few years ago, but most residents declined the help.
He added many of those who originally declined have now expressed a desire for PSD water service.
Representatives of DEP in Oak Hill and the county health department in Fayetteville did not immediately return telephone calls Wednesday.
A community meeting for those interested in PSD water service is set for 7 p.m. Saturday at Liberty Baptist Church in Ramsey.
— E-mail:
jfarrish@register-herald.com