Contaminated Water In SE Raleigh Neighborhood Dates Back Nearly 2 Decades

Officials said the water contains two cancer-causing chemicals and probably should not be consumed. Sunday, homeowners wanted to know who is responsible.

Monica Price discovered her well is contaminated with two chemicals commonly found in paint thinner and gasoline. She believes they came from an abandoned gas station across the street and that the city has known about it for years.

"I'd like to know why it took so long for them to inform us about something that we found out had been going on maybe 16 years," Price said.

Price's father and her aunt live nearby, and they also have contaminated wells. Her aunt's well has levels of one chemical 50 times higher than normal.

"She was diagnosed with breast cancer recently," Price said, "and no woman in our family on her side has it."

Wake County Environmental Services has advised the families not to drink the water.For now, the families are getting by on bottled water.

Prices father, Jerry, wants answers.

"We want it addressed the way it should have been addressed back 16 years ago," he said.

So far, three wells have come up contaminated.

Monica Price said she plans to get checked out by her doctor.

Wake Environmental Services will remove two 8,000 gallon underground storage tanks from that gas station Monday.