Home » Santa Clarita News » Community News » Santa Clarita Law Firm To File Lawsuit Alleging Toxic Sandblasting Particles Impacting Westridge, Stevenson Ranch Communities
Satellite Image Water Tower2

Santa Clarita Law Firm To File Lawsuit Alleging Toxic Sandblasting Particles Impacting Westridge, Stevenson Ranch Communities

A Santa Clarita law firm is set to file a lawsuit alleging harm to both residents’ health and property from sandblasting near the Stevenson Ranch and Westridge communities.

The firm Owen, Patterson & Owen (OPO) Law is seeking to file a lawsuit against Five Points Development, claiming that certain precautions were not made during sandblasting in the development of a new water tower near Westridge Parkway.

“Many people have been impacted by the sandblasting, but may not even know it is happening right by their neighborhood,” said Greg Owen, senior partner at OPO.

Owen was contacted by a resident of the Westridge neighborhood who claimed a new water tower for the 21,000-home Newhall Ranch project was causing harm to her health and property.

“Approximately three months ago, Five Points Development began construction of a water tower located adjacent to the Stevenson Ranch community,” reads a statement from OPO. “The structure is being built as part of the public water system to service the new Five Points Valencia community.”

The lawsuit alleges that the contractor failed to take precautions directed by law and building code, by not using mandatory methods to prevent silica and iron oxide from becoming airborne and drifting into the nearby community.

“Some residents have seen layers of silica on cars that are a quarter-inch, sometimes half an inch,” Owen said. “These particles can carry for up to a mile, and stay in the air for a long time.”

Millions of U.S. workers are exposed to respirable crystalline silica in a variety of industries and occupations, including construction, sandblasting and mining. Silicosis, an irreversible but preventable disease, is the illness most closely associated with occupational exposure to the material, which also is known as silica dust, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Westridge Homeowners Association (HOA) sent a letter alerting residents in the area that some homeowners have reported varying degrees of property damage and/or physical effects from the construction of the additional water tower.

“There are a number of impacted homeowners and neighbors who have been able to connect with each other on this issue to have a collective voice in communications with the entities involved in the construction,” the HOA letter reads.

OPO law recommends that residents in the Westridge area who believe they have been impacted, to join the lawsuit. To read OPO’s full statement and to join the lawsuit, visit their official site.


Sponsored Articles


Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or send an email to newstip@hometownstation.com. Don’t miss a thing. Get breaking KHTS Santa Clarita News Alerts delivered right to your inbox. Report a typo or error, email Corrections@hometownstation.com

KHTS FM 98.1 and AM 1220 is Santa Clarita’s only local radio station. KHTS mixes in a combination of news, traffic, sports, and features along with your favorite adult contemporary hits. Santa Clarita news and features are delivered throughout the day over our airwaves, on our website and through a variety of social media platforms. Our KHTS national award-winning daily news briefs are now read daily by 34,000+ residents. A vibrant member of the Santa Clarita community, the KHTS broadcast signal reaches all of the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the high desert communities located in the Antelope Valley. The station streams its talk shows over the web, reaching a potentially worldwide audience. Follow @KHTSRadio on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

KHTS AM 1220 & FM 98.1 - Santa Clarita Radio - Santa Clarita News

Santa Clarita Law Firm To File Lawsuit Alleging Toxic Sandblasting Particles Impacting Westridge, Stevenson Ranch Communities

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About KHTS Newsroom

KHTS FM 98.1 & AM 1220 focuses on Santa Clarita news, traffic, weather, sports, and also plays music. Bringing you SCV breaking news first and keeping you up to date with Santa Clarita events.