A Wake Forest community is in an uproar after learning the state of North Carolina knew a resident’s water had been contaminated with toxic chemicals and failed to alert other residents for more than six years.

The EPA called families in the community saying their water is contaminated with a cancer-causing chemical called trichloroethylene, or TCE, and to not drink, bathe or cook with the water.

Within days of the calls to homeowners, the EPA set up an emergency command post and placed safe water on their doorsteps regularly.
The EPA installed water filters in the homes with contamination levels above the EPA’s safety standard. And the EPA called a community meeting to explain what neighbors had been drinking.

LeBlanc said TCE “has been known to cause cancer” specifically leukemia, breast cancer, lung cancer, and there are symptoms associated with TCE exposure that are like Parkinson’s disease. Cuda said she has Parkinson’s disease. She also said she has gotten cysts, including “a lot of them in this left breast.” Doctors have not confirmed it, but Cuda believes the development of many large cysts in her left breast and having Parkinson’s disease is due to TCE.

Cuda said a neighbor died from breast cancer. “And you know, she was a lovely person,” Cuda said. “She was in her 50s.”