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Erin Brockovich, the consumer advocate made famous by a 2000 movie named after her and starring Julia Roberts in the title role, is back in Hinkley, CA, testing the town's waters for toxic chemicals at the scene of the original crime. Brockovich led the charge in building a lawsuit against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company after discovering that the company had been leaking toxic chemicals into the water of Hinkley, a small community in San Bernadino County. Her efforts to reveal PG&E's tactics and to hold them accountable resulted in a $333 million settlement, paid to Hinkley's more than 600 residents.
According to KABC, Brockovich has now returned to Hinkley and is expected to announce at a board meeting that the water is being polluted once again. They report:
...these developments are like stepping back in time and are a haunting reminder that a landmark lawsuit and a blockbuster movie are no guarantee of safety.