Higher-than-normal levels prompt N.B. to ask Ottawa for help

A11

By Kris McDavid
Times & Transcript Staff

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

Speak Up

BLACKVILLE - Puzzled provincial health officials are calling in a federal investigator to assist in finding the cause of higher-than-normal arsenic levels found in blood tests taken from four Blackville residents.

Dr. Denis Allard, regional medical officer for the Moncton and Miramichi regions, said yesterday that initial samples taken from the wells of the affected residents yielded no indication of heightened levels of arsenic or any other mineral.

Allard also said Department of Health interviews conducted with the residents about their food consumption and personal activities also didn't reveal anything out of the ordinary.

Therefore, he said, the Department of Health has requested the Public Health Agency of Canada send an epidemiologist to the village to investigate the matter further.

"We've requested their help on this, and they do have experts that they use throughout the country for situations like this," said Allard yesterday.

"They'll be sending two epidemiologists, with the first arriving in Miramichi on Dec. 1 to get oriented on the situation, and will start their more thorough investigation of the cases and dig a little deeper shortly thereafter."

"The important thing here is to find out where the arsenic is coming from," said Allard.

Blackville Mayor Glen Hollowood said that health officials were in the village -- located about 50 kilometres southwest of Miramichi -- yesterday conducting free water testing for about 30 concerned homeowners.

Health officials said those results will be released to individual homeowners sometime next week.

Hollowood said village officials learned about the first three cases last weekend, but now that the number has risen to four, he said concern among the village's 900 residents is beginning to heighten.

"Everybody pretty well thinks it's in the water, but the water was tested before and didn't show anything. So this is pretty serious because arsenic is something that can eventually lead to cancer," said Hollowood.

The mayor said that each of the four individuals live within a few metres of one another, adding that officials seemed to be condensing their investigation to that area.

"There's definitely something going on, and if I was living in that area I would be getting tested for arsenic, and I probably will anyway," said Hollowood.

"I wouldn't be waiting around for the government or for anybody, even if it cost me $50 or $100 I would be there getting my blood checked."

Blackville resident Linda Sturgeon said she's concerned that nobody seems to know what's causing the outbreak.

"It's scary for sure, and we've been talking about it all day at work," she said.

For now, health officials are saying it's safe for resident to consume their well water.