Warminster: Military Should Pay For Poisoned Water Supply

WARMINSTER, PA — Officials from Warminster and other local townships are in talks with the federal government over toxic chemicals found in the water supply near military outposts in the area. They're demanding that the federal government cover the cost of fixing the dangerous problem.

"It is still the position of Warminster that the contamination was caused by the military and they should be responsible for any remediation and other necessary actions to provide acceptable water ...," Township Manager Gregg Schuster said in a letter to residents.

"We will continue to stress to the military that this contamination is their fault and they should take responsibility and do everything they can to clean our water supply."

Tens of thousands of people in Warminster, Horsham and Warrington townships were exposed to contaminated water that first became publicly known in 2014.

Dozens of people, including employees of Willow Grove Naval Air Station, in Horsham, have reported cases of Cancer, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. No traces of toxic chemicals have been reported recently in the area's water supply, but municipalities like Warminster say they have been forced to switch water suppliers.

Schuster said the cost of doing so has, so far, had to be passed on to water customers. He said he and other local officials have met two times in the past two weeks with federal officials about the issue.

So far, the military has refused to pay for anything other than filters installed on wells that showed high levels of toxins, Schuster said.

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