Story highlights CNN reports workers were distributing water from Superfund site

The EPA has said it plans to test wells this weekend

Washington (CNN) A leading House Democrat has asked the Department of Homeland Security to investigate the water situation in Puerto Rico after a published report that people were drinking water taken from a federally designated hazardous-waste site.

The request comes a day after a story from CNN's John Sutter concerning workers from the Puerto Rican water utility Autoridad de Acueductos y Alcantarillados distributing water from a well at the Dorado Groundwater Contamination Site . The site was listed in 2016 as part of the federal Superfund program for hazardous water cleanup.

Many Puerto Ricans have been struggling to find clean drinking water since September 20 after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, home to 3.4 million people.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, the ranking Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, wrote a letter to acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke asking for the investigation. Thompson, from Mississippi, said he wanted to know whether she was aware Americans there are drinking water from possibly contaminated sources.

"Reports of Puerto Ricans waiting hours to receive potentially contaminated water that could have long-term health consequences is beyond disturbing," Thompson said Saturday. "That it happened on days after EPA warned the people of Puerto Rico to refrain from breaking into Superfund sites to access water suggests a troubling breakdown in coordination among the federal entities playing a role in federal disaster response activities. "

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