News Release 309

TESTS SHOW CAMERON WATER SAFE FOR DRINKING;
STATE SEEKS INFORMATION IN TUMOR INVESTIGATION

Volume 36-309

Contact: Larry Archer
Department of Natural Resources /
Nanci Gonder
Department of Health and Senior Services

(For immediate release)

573-751-3807 / 573-751-6062

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, MAY 23, 2008 -- Tests of both the reservoir and finished drinking water serving Cameron show the city's water is safe, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources announced today.

Test results from samples taken May 15 showed that the water produced by the city's drinking water treatment plant met all drinking water standards. The tests looked for 180 possible pollutants and found none that were in excess of the standards set by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act, Clean Water Act or Missouri Water Quality Standards.

The test results were consistent with the regular testing done at the water plant, which has never had a health-based violation of the federal Safe Drinking Water Act.

An analysis of sediment samples taken at the reservoir showed very low levels of chemicals such as atrazine and lindane, which are typical for agricultural areas in Missouri. Neither chemical was found in the tested drinking water.

The Department of Natural Resources conducted the testing last week at the request of Missouri Rep. Jim Guest, King City, whose office had received calls of concerns from Cameron residents reporting what they believed was a disproportionate number of people in the community suffering from brain tumors.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services today announced that work is continuing on a newly initiated investigation, called a Cancer Inquiry (CI), to determine if the number of brain tumors in the community is statistically significant enough to suggest that there may be a cause beyond what would typically be found in a community of this size.

The Department of Health and Senior Services is asking any Cameron resident suffering from a brain tumor to complete a patient information form and return it to the department. A parent, guardian or close family member may complete the form if the patient is unable to do so. At this time, only Cameron residents with brain tumors will be included in the investigation.  Patient information forms are available from the local public health agency by contacting Marcia Downey, Administrator, Clinton County Health Department, 816-539-2144, or contact Jim Pruitt, Department of Health and Senior Services Cancer Inquiry Coordinator, at 573-522-2844.

If information from the patient information forms suggests an above-average number of brain tumors in the community, the department will begin a more detailed analysis of the data. If that data continues to show a possible cluster of brain tumors, work will begin to identify possible connections between the tumor victims and possible causes of the tumors.

The investigation process is in its opening phases. The entire process typically takes at least two months, depending on the results at each step. The Department of Health and Senior Services will promptly release its investigation findings to the participants and to the public as soon as the information is available.

The Department of Health and Senior Services conducted preliminary analysis on information it had on current brain tumor cases in Cameron and in surrounding counties, then compared those numbers to what is statistically expected in similar populations in other parts of the state and the nation. Based the information available, the Department of Health and Senior Services found that the number of brain tumor cases in the Cameron area did not exceed the expected number of cases.

The Department of Health and Senior Services and the Department of Natural Resources will remain in close contact and both agencies will continue collecting information about this situation and will respond to any new developments that arise.

For Department of Natural Resources news releases on the Web, visit http://www.dnr.mo.gov/pubs/communications.htm. For Department of Health and Senior Services news releases on the Web, visit http://www.dhss.mo.gov/NewsAndPublicNotices/index.html.

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