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f~-H'ac h ~~r1-f- .,~ 3 <br />October 2, 2009 <br />Dr. Rosemary Summers <br />MPH, DrPH, Health Director <br />Orange County Health Department <br />300 West Tryon Street <br />Hillsborough, NC 27278 <br />Dear Dr. Summers: <br />On behalf of the Rogers-Eubanks Road community, I write to request a formal study of water and <br />sewer quality issues in our neighborhood by the Board of Health. <br />We are concerned that our drinking water is contaminated, posing a risk to our health and failing <br />to meet water quality standazds. We aze also concerned with our lack of access to basic public sewage <br />infrastructure. A previous study, in cooperation with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, <br />demonstrated serious azeas of concern, with above-threshold levels of microbial contaminants. The <br />knowledge of contamination in the test wells around the landfill has solidified our concerns about our <br />drinking water and sewage disposal systems. <br />In order to apply for grant funding to improve safety and infrastructure, it is necessary that we <br />conduct a study more thoroughly documenting the extent of the contamination. This letter is to request <br />funds to move ahead with such a study, which would be conducted in conjunction with the County and <br />relevant agencies. To date, we have identified 36 homes that lack connections to public drinking water <br />and 85 homes that lack connections to public sewer. <br />We feel it is important to point out that our community has borne the burdens of the community's <br />landfill for 37 years. Yet, at the same time, we have found it difficult to impossible to acquire safe <br />drinking water and working waste disposal systems. For these reasons, and many others, we feel strongly <br />that the Boazd of Health and Board of County Commissioners ought to move forward and help us <br />document the need for safe drinking water, as well as working sewage disposal, in our community. <br />Sincerely, <br />Minister Robert L. Campbell, President of the Rogers-Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA) and <br />Co-Chair of the Coalition to End Environmental Racism (LEER) <br />