Tapping Water From Chatfield Worries Some Residents
Neighbors Concerned That Water Source Too Close To Superfund Site
POSTED: 5:07 p.m. MST December 26, 2002
UPDATED: 6:05 p.m. MST December 26, 2002
DENVER -- In just about a month, Denver Water will start tapping into Chatfield Reservoir for drinking water, but some people worry that the water might be contaminated because they feel that Chatfield is too close to a Superfund site.
While Denver Water officials say numerous state and federal studies show that Chatfield Reservoir is a safe source for drinking water, some folks can't quite swallow that, 7NEWS reported.
Some kids growing up in the Friendly Hills neighborhood have heard the horror stories from their parents and longtime residents who believed that 20 years ago, their drinking water was contaminated by rocket-fuel from the former Martin Marietta plant.
They think that Denver water customers will have similar problems, and will be at risk if Chatfield is used as a source.
"There seems to be a higher than normal incidence of different types of diseases in our neighborhood, especially in certain types of cancers," said Friendly Hills resident John Wrzesinksi.
Denver Water's director of operations said the neighbors' past and present fears are unfounded because Chatfield water has been tested by numerous local, state, and federal agencies.
"And no one has found anything that would suggest the water and the illnesses of 20 years ago are linked," said Steve Work, Denver Water's director of operations.
"There's a lot of things that meet certain federal standards that they claim are safe, and we know better," Wrzesinksi said.
Beginning next month, water will be pulled from Chatfield, transferred and then treated at Marston Reservoir. Denver Water customers will be drinking it by spring but the folks in Friendly Hills say we should follow their lead and not drink it straight from the tap.
"Personally, I don't know many people in this neighborhood that would drink the tap water. Most of us are drinking bottled water, or filtering our water," Wrzesinksi said.
Denver Water officials say several suburban communities like Highlands Ranch and Englewood have consumed water from Chatfield and the South Platte River for years.
While Denver Water officials say numerous state and federal studies show that Chatfield Reservoir is a safe source for drinking water, some folks can't quite swallow that, 7NEWS reported.
Some kids growing up in the Friendly Hills neighborhood have heard the horror stories from their parents and longtime residents who believed that 20 years ago, their drinking water was contaminated by rocket-fuel from the former Martin Marietta plant.
They think that Denver water customers will have similar problems, and will be at risk if Chatfield is used as a source.
"There seems to be a higher than normal incidence of different types of diseases in our neighborhood, especially in certain types of cancers," said Friendly Hills resident John Wrzesinksi.
Denver Water's director of operations said the neighbors' past and present fears are unfounded because Chatfield water has been tested by numerous local, state, and federal agencies.
"And no one has found anything that would suggest the water and the illnesses of 20 years ago are linked," said Steve Work, Denver Water's director of operations.
"There's a lot of things that meet certain federal standards that they claim are safe, and we know better," Wrzesinksi said.
Beginning next month, water will be pulled from Chatfield, transferred and then treated at Marston Reservoir. Denver Water customers will be drinking it by spring but the folks in Friendly Hills say we should follow their lead and not drink it straight from the tap.
"Personally, I don't know many people in this neighborhood that would drink the tap water. Most of us are drinking bottled water, or filtering our water," Wrzesinksi said.
Denver Water officials say several suburban communities like Highlands Ranch and Englewood have consumed water from Chatfield and the South Platte River for years.
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