Activist Erin Brockovich Takes on City of Tyler Over Contaminated Water Issue

The woman made famous by her story played by Julia Roberts has brought the City of Tyler into the limelight over an issue with contaminated water in the city.

The city recently sent a government-mandated notice to residents regarding a contaminant level violation, which sparked a critical Facebook post by activist Eric Brockovich.

"Tyler, Texas... you are being lied to in a very dangerous way," her post begins. "Tyler Water Utilities customers received a notice of a contaminant violation in the water supply, but officials said the water remains safe to drink. This is a lie and the story you are being told is completely false. A Drinking Water VIOLATION is a serious thing that cannot just be downplayed in the press."

The notice sent from the city told residents the water remained safe to drink, despite the violation. Tyler officials received notice from the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality that the total haloceitic acid levels in the water were above the maximum contaminant level of 0.060 milligrams per liter, according to KLTV. 

"We followed the established protocol that the TCEQ outlines for issuing notifications to our customers," Greg Morgan, Director for Utilities & Public Works, told KLTV. "It says right in the form letter that you do not need to use an alternative water supply, as your water remains safe to drink."

But once the letter was received by Tyler water customers, the issue was escalated when Brockovich responded publicly. Her post on Tyler has now been shared more than 6,000 times.

The situation prompted Tyler Mayor Martin Heines to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Wednesday (Nov. 4) at city hall in downtown Tyler to answer questions about the water in the city.

City of Tyler serves more than 190,000 customers, according to TCEQ.

Erin Brockovich went from unemployed single mother to national activist when she, as a file clerk for the law firm Masry & Vititoe, took on Pacific Gas & Electric over water in 1993 and their lawsuit resulted in a $333 million settlement, the largest direct-action settlement in history.

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