Navy to fund Lejeune water contamination studies

WILMINGTON — The Navy will pay for the re-analysis a 10-year-old government study on whether contaminated water harmed babies at Camp Lejeune.

The outcome of the study could affect claims by former residents of the Marine Corps base seeking damages over health problems they blame on exposure to contaminated water.

A letter obtained by The Associated Press shows the Navy will spend almost $2 million for another look at a 1998 study that investigated cancer and birth defects in babies born to women who were pregnant at Camp Lejeune before contaminated wells were shut down. The service is also funding a water model study that will show the extent of the contamination.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)