http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/22/AR2006012200422_2.html?sub=AR
Halliburton Cited in Iraq Contamination
Granger's July 15 memo said the exposure had gone on for "possibly a year" and added, "I am not sure if any attempt to notify the exposed population was ever made."
The first memo on the problem _ written by Carter to Halliburton officials on March 24, 2005 _ was an "incident report" from tests Carter performed the previous day.
| "It is my opinion that the water source is without question contaminated with numerous micro-organisms, including Coliform bacteria," | Carter wrote. "There is little doubt that raw sewage is routinely dumped upstream of intake | much less than the required 2 mile distance. |
| "Therefore, it is my conclusion that chlorination of our water tanks while certainly beneficial is not sufficient protection from parasitic exposure." |
Carter said he resigned in early April after Halliburton officials did not take any action to inform the camp population.
The water expert said he told company officials at the base that they would have to notify the military. "They told me it was none of my concern and to keep my mouth shut," he said.
On at least one occasion, Carter said, he spoke to the chief military surgeon at the base, asking him whether he was aware of stomach problems afflicting people. He said the surgeon told him he would look into it.
"They brushed it under the carpet," Carter said. "I told everyone, 'Don't take showers, use bottled water."
A July 14, 2005, memo showed that Halliburton's public relations department knew of the problem.
| "I don't want to turn it into a big issue right now," | staff member Jennifer Dellinger wrote in the memo, | "but if we end up getting some media calls I want to make sure we have all the facts so we are ready to respond." |
Halliburton's performance in Iraq has been criticized in a number of military audits, and congressional Democrats have contended that the Bush administration has favored the company with noncompetitive contracts.
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