To the editor:

I am writing regarding an article in The Salem News — "Groundwater settlement nets Peabody $2.8 million" — that has stirred up some major concern with me.

The story goes on to explain that the money could not have come at a better time as the city can certainly use it to help with the deficit and tough economic times.

The money the city is receiving is due to a legal settlement with oil companies that added a chemical to gasoline that contaminated groundwater in Peabody. This chemical, MTBE or methyl tertiary butyl ether, has tainted the drinking water supplies. This chemical has been in gasoline since the 1970s, but became more prevalent in the early 1990s after an amendment to the Clean Air Act, which set quality standards.

This chemical was detected in Peabody's groundwater in the late 1990s at trace levels, but some tests exceeded the safety standards of 70 parts per billion. Thus, the water supply was deemed contaminated and many cities and towns received a lot of money as a result. The U.S. Environmental Agency has labeled MTBE as a possible cancer-causing agent.

My main issue is with everyone wondering how to use this money to help balance their city/town budget.

I just celebrated my 40th high school reunion (Peabody High School Class of 1969) and noticed many classmates missing. Many have died from cancer. I myself had prostate cancer but caught it just in time or I would not be writing this letter.

I have been very concerned over the years about how many friends and classmates have died in Peabody due to cancer. At first, I thought it was something to do with the leather factories, contaminated soil, or something in the water. Now I think we may have an answer.

I feel each community should be using the money to investigate further the contamination of the water supplies and the impact it has on peoples' lives.

The leaders of each community should be very concerned and willing to use the financial windfall to investigate the relationship between the chemical MTBE and lives lost.

I am sad at the loss of so many classmates and I am sure many other people can relate to this issue.

I only hope this makes the leaders of our towns and cities take a closer look at the issue at hand before they spend the money on material things or use it to balance a budget.

Peter Carter

Danvers