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Public Health Assessment
Drinking Water Supplies and Groundwater Pathway Evaluation,
Isla de Vieques Bombing Range,
Vieques, Puerto Rico
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October 16, 2001
Prepared by:
Federal Facilities Assessment Branch
Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
V. Community Health Concerns
An integral part of the public health assessment process is to address concerns of the community related to environmental health. Throughout the public health assessment process, ATSDR has been working and will continue to work with the community to define specific health issues of concern. On multiple trips to the island, ATSDR has met with a variety of individuals and organizations, including local officials, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, leaders of women's groups, school educators, fishermen, and businessmen. ATSDR has also met with individual families to understand their health concerns. Meeting with community members is critical to determine health issues of concern and to assess the environmental health issues on Vieques.
General issues of health concern related to drinking water have been assessed in this public health assessment. Public health issues related to potential exposure pathways involving contaminant transport through the air or food chain are currently being evaluated by ATSDR.
As discussed in this document, evaluation of drinking water supplied by rainfall collection systems is not complete. Any information provided by the community about the past or current usage of such systems will be helpful in our continued evaluations.
Community members can direct their health concerns to:
Program Evaluation and Records Information Services Branch
ATSDR, Division of Health Assessment and Consultation
Attn: Isla de Vieques, Puerto Rico
1600 Clifton Road, NE (E-56)
Atlanta, Georgia 30333
Community members can also telephone our regional representatives in New York, New York, at (212) 637-4307 or call our toll-free telephone number, 1-888-42-ATSDR.