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5 <br />Final Report <br />Cancer Prevalence Assessment and Water Quality Survey <br />Mill Creep Road Area <br />Background <br />In the spring of 2005, Glenda and .Toe Holloway, who reside in the area, approached the <br />Environmental Health Division of the Orange County Health Department (OCHD) and expressed <br />concern over their well water quality and quantity. They also spoke of others in the area that were <br />experiencing similar problems. Generally, the water troubles they described related to discoloration, <br />taste and odor problems, and to some extent, wells drawing down to lower yields during extended <br />pumping sessions. <br />During the initial interviews, staff reviewed the Holloway's file and discussed alternatives and <br />treatment systems with them acid they were offered an application for having their well water <br />sampled and analyzed. In .Tune 2005, Mr. Holloway appeared before the Orange County Board of <br />County Commissioners (BOCC) and related the community's water concerns and also gave <br />anecdotal evidence of a high number of cur°rent and past cancer cases in their area. His perception <br />was that because the water was so poor° overall in the community, it could be contributing to the <br />cancer prevalence. He also invited the BOCC members to the next community meeting to meet in <br />person with others in the community that felt affected. <br />A meeting took place on June 29, 2005 at the Cedar Grove Volunteer Fire Department station on <br />Penecost Road in Cedar Grove. All five BOCC members were present along with Orange County <br />Plamiing staff and Health Deputment staff. The residents recounted their experiences to <br />Commissioners and staff present. Commissioners informally committed to acting on the matter in <br />the near firttue and asked Health Department staff to follow up with a study proposal for BOCC <br />consideration. The Holloway's provided a list of conununity members to the Health Department that <br />they believed had reported cancer in their households <br />A proposal was presented to the BOCC on August 16, 2005 and approved by Commissioners.. The <br />Commissioners allocated $21,500 from the social safety net critical reserve fund to cover the costs <br />to the Health Department for the studies. <br />Geographical Description <br />The Mill Creek Road area is located in the northwest portion of Orange County. The area is largely <br />residential with agrarian and open spaces intermingled. There is very little commercial development <br />and no industrial development along this road, The segment of Mill Creek Road included in this <br />study runs along the road from just south of Lonesome Road (SR 1350) to just south of I-Iigh Rock <br />Road (SR 1.3450) and is approximately two miles in length. Most of the properties included in the <br />study are along Mill Creek Road although a few are located on or,just off High Rock and Governor <br />Scott (SR 1351) Roads.. <br />All developed properties in the area are served by private wells and septic tarilc systems, Orange <br />County Health Department staff are not aware of any outstanding environmental problems in the <br />Page 3 of 47 <br />