Perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE) were the primary contaminants found in the wells serving the two water systems in the Camp Lejeune area. The Tararwa Terrace water systems supplied family housing, unmarried service personnel barracks, base offices, schools, and recreational areas. The Hadnot Point water system served the base hospital and an industrial area of the base.
Groundwater at the Tarawa Terrace system became contaminated with PCE as a result of spills and improper disposal by an off-base dry cleaner nearby (ABC One-Hour Cleaners). This began as early as 1953. There may also have been other on-base sources contributing to the contamination of that system.
Contamination of the Hadnot Point water system involved multiple contaminants and sources and was more complex. The primary chemical found there was TCE. It is likely that on-base spills and leaks from storage tanks were the cause of contamination.