D.C. Water Authority sued for $200 Million, demonstrates the need for private investigators

The water utility between 2001 and 2004 hid elevated levels of lead from customers and federal authorities, plaintiff John Parkhurst of Capitol Hill claims in the lawsuit, which seeks class-action status. WASA failed to take steps to remedy the situation, omitted language from public education campaigns that would have warned people about the problem and continued to encourage residents to drink the water, according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday in D.C. Superior Court.
Meanwhile, the validity of a 2007 research paper that also claimed D.C. residents were unharmed by the water crisis is being questioned by city officials who want an investigation. The paper was written by a university professor who had a contract with WASA. "It's very clear that WASA did everything it could do to protect itself, rather than protect the public," said Katherine Kimpel, an attorney with Sanford, Wittels & Heisler in Washington, which is representing Parkhurst.

Link: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-02-17-leadpoisoning-case_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip