By Erin Smith
Preliminary results on water samples from residential wells which were tested by Chemours are back and at least 11 of the residential wells sampled by the company were shown to be contaminated with the chemical GenX. Chemours has been directed by state officials to make bottled water available to those impacted.
Chemours’ Fayetteville Works facility has voluntarily tested 32 residential wells for those living near the plant for GenX only. The preliminary test results showed 11 wells tested positive for the presence of GenX at levels higher than the state recommendation of 140 parts per trillion. The majority of those residents are located on the north side of the plant. As a precaution, state officials directed Chemours to make bottled available to those residents impacted by the test results.
Chemours notified state officials of the company’s preliminary test results on Friday and again on Tuesday after a second set of test results also came back positive for GenX.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality has also been conducting separate testing on residential wells near the Chemours Fayetteville Works plant. The state is testing wells not only for the presence of GenX but also for two other chemicals known as PFOA and PFOS. The state expects to receive its test results in the coming weeks.
State officials conducted an information session last week at St. Pauls Middle School to inform residents in Bladen and Cumberland counties about the GenX contamination and to allow them to sign up for the well testing program conducted by the state. The samples gathered by state officials were shipped to Gel Laboratories in Charleston, S.C. If the state’s tests show GenX and/or PFOA and PFOS to be present, state officials are expected to direct Chemours to provide those homes with alternative drinking water and health information for those chemicals.
The Department of Environmental Quality has collected water samples for testing from 31 residential wells located near the facility in Bladen and Cumberland counties.
“We want to make sure people with elevated concentrations of GenX in their wells have an immediate alternative water source,” said Michael Regan, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. “Making sure people have clean drinking water is our top priority.”
Health-related information on GenX, PFOA and PFOS has been posted to DEQ’s website at: https://deq.nc.gov/news/hot-topics/genx-investigation/health-related-resources-about-genx-pfoa-and-pfas. Residents with questions about the health effects related to GenX, PFOA or PFOS can contact the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services at 919-707-5900.
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