Two water officials accused of hiding carcinogen in East Orange, New Jersey water [View all]

[UnrepentantLiberal]

Water contaminated with a chemical linked to cancer was illegally dumped into the Passaic River and flowed downstream through Bergen and Passaic counties as part of a scheme by two utility executives to manipulate water quality reports, prosecutors said Wednesday.

While the dumping went on for almost a month in 2011, state environmental officials said Wednesday that it did not pose a threat to public health. The water polluted with PERC, a chemical used by dry cleaners, was released into the river at Florham Park and would have become diluted long before it reached a drinking water intake pipe in Little Falls several miles downstream, officials said.

Allegations of the dumping were contained in an indictment Wednesday against two executives of the East Orange Water Commission: Harry Mansmann, 58, of Lawrenceville, the commission’s executive director and William Mowell, 51, of Wyckoff,the assistant executive director and engineer.

Prosecutors said the two falsified water reports by shutting down contaminated wells prior to monthly water tests. It allowed them to record lower levels of contaminants in the drinking water supplied to their customers in East Orange and South Orange.

More: http://www.northjersey.com/news/essex/NJ_2_officials_hid_contaminant_in_citys_water_.html