The Real Rebel: The Erin Brockovich Story…

The story of Hinkley, California inspired the 2000 film Erin Brockovich directed by Steven Soderbergh and shot the real Erin Brockovich to stardom, and she has continued to crusade for access to safe water after being so instrumental in building a case against Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) involving Hinkley groundwater contamination for attorney Ed Masry in 1993.

Since the 1950s, utility company PG&E has operated a natural gas pumping station in Hinkley, a small southern California community in the Mojave Desert. Until 1966, the company used a chemical called chromium 6 to prevent rust. The toxic chemical eventually seeped into Hinkley’s water supply. In 1993, Erin Brockovich, a divorced, unemployed single mother, became an activist for clean water after she spoke out against PG&E.

“Everywhere I was going in this little community, somebody had asthma, a complaint of a chronic cough, recurring bronchitis, recurring rashes, unusual joint aches, nosebleeds,” “It didn’t make sense, and so the more I ask questions … the more I started to piece the puzzle together.”

– Brockovich to 20/20 in the interview

In 1996, the case was settled for $333 million, the largest ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit at the time in United States History. In 2001, Julia Roberts won the Academy Award Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role, for her portrayal of the relentless and determined Brockovich. The film ended with the historic settlement.

“We’re still talking about this, and that movie came out 21 years ago. And it was almost before its time because it was about environmental pollution that we are in the throes of today,”

– Brockovich told ABC News

But while the film has been out over two decades and the case settled even longer, for the residents of Hinkley, the story continues. Almost three decades after the lawsuit, Brockovich revisited the neighborhood and met with residents who say they are still suffering the effects of the contamination.

In part 1 of this ABC News 20/20 Special, Erin Brockovich revisits Hinkley and remembers the case that shot her to stardom and environmental activism, while ABC News journalists refresh viewers on the 1996 case of the Hinkley groundwater contamination spear headed by Brockovich that inspired the 2000 film.

You can watch the full ABC News 20/20 Special, The Real Rebel: The Erin Brockovich Story by clicking on the photo link below:

Erin Brockovich is available now with a subscription to Hulu…