In May 2013, the City of Apalachicola Water System notified residents that their water failed to meet standards set by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the EPA.
During routine safety testing, the City of Apalachicola found levels of trihalomethanes (THMs) nearly 40% higher than established maximum contaminant levels for drinking water.
THMs can also be inhaled and absorbed through the skin. Researchers discovered that concentrations of THMs rose 5- to 15-fold following such routine activities as showering, bathing, and hand washing.
Often found in industrial solvents and refrigerants, THMs are considered carcinogenic and have been linked to numerous life-threatening health effects:
• Liver or Kidney Failure
• Liver or Kidney Cancer
• Colon or Rectal Cancer
• Bladder Cancer
• Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
• Serious Central Nervous System Damage
If you and/or a family member have received such a diagnosis, or if a loved one has died from one of these conditions, and if your water is provided by the City of Apalachicola, please contact our firm for a free consultation.
Sources: National Institutes of Health, “Tap Water and Trihalomethanes: Flow of Concerns Continues,” Environmental Health Perspectives, July 2005, 113(7): A474; “Trihalomethanes in Drinking-water,” WHO Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality, WHO/SDE/WSH/03.04/64