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<br />, SEP-11-1997 15:54 <br /> <br />MN DEPT HHiL TH I"IC~.s <br /> <br />5125235099 P.03/05 <br /> <br />Because of the long lag times between dangerous exposures and the diagnosis of cancer. because <br />of the difficulty in measuring exposures, because of the mobility of our population, because of <br />how common cancer is from non-environmental causes, geographical studies (often called cluster <br />studies or epidemiological studies) have never answered the questions that concerned citizens ask, <br />In any event seeing more cancer in your area than you would expect is rarely if ever a sign that an <br />environmental pollutant has contaminated the water or air of your area, <br /> <br />#Q: Shouldn't I have my water tested just in case? <br /> <br />A: If you have city water (a municipal water supply), it is already being tested. If you have your <br />own water supply and if you do suspect there is some environmental contaminant in your water, . <br />these samples can be tested. However this is very costly and rarely recommended. Even these <br />results must be interpreted causiously since the quality of the water today mayor may not reflect <br />the quality of the water years ago when exposures of today' s cancers (the one' s you are seeing <br />today) would have occulTed. <br /> <br />The information for this fact sheet was provided by staff from the Minnesota Cancer Surveillance <br />System, Division of Chronic Disease and Environmental Epidemiology and other members of the <br />Minnesota Health Department. <br />