
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, September 27, 1993                   TAG: 9309270098
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GROUP SAYS TAINTED WATER WIDESPREAD

Millions of Americans may be unaware they are drinking and showering in contaminated water, and federal and state officials are to blame for leaving the public largely uninformed, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental watchdog group.

Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the council's two-year investigation of the nation's drinking water said as many as 900,000 people get sick each year from waterborne diseases, and 900 may die annually from water contamination.

In one highly publicized case in Milwaukee in March, an estimated 370,000 people fell ill and at least 47 died after drinking contaminated water from the city's supply.

"Situations like Milwaukee are occurring all over the country on a smaller scale, but we don't hear about them because a lot of people don't report illnesses," said Erik Olson, who wrote the report for release today.

- The Washington Post

by CNB