The U.S. Marine Corps found several toxic chemicals in the water at Camp Lejeune, a 246-square-mile United States military training facility in Jacksonville, North Carolina. The base is home to over 34,000 people; approximately 137,526 marines, sailors, retirees, their families, and civilian employees work there daily. It is the largest Marine Corps base on the East Coast; since construction began in 1941, millions of soldiers have been stationed or received training at the installation.

From at least 1953 through 1987, numerous water sources at Camp Lejeune were contaminated with toxicants at concentrations 240 to 3,400 times higher than those permitted by safety standards. These contaminants include volatile organic compounds (VOCs).