NC Adds 14,000 More Cape Fear Homes to PFAS Well Testing
14,000 more houses will be checked for PFAS due to chemicals found further from their source at the Chemours plant.
14,000 more houses will be checked for PFAS due to chemicals found further along the Cape Fear River.
Getty ImagesState officials directed Chemours to expand private well checks for PFAS across four counties near the Cape Fear. The new push adds 14,000 homes in New Hanover, Brunswick, Columbus, and Pender areas to the testing list.
Fresh data shows these chemicals spread much wider than first thought. Water flows and flood zones carried the substances far from their source at the Chemours plant. Tests found high amounts in spots nobody expected.
"This expansion comes after Chemours and DEQ staff completed an extensive review of existing residential well data as part of the ongoing assessment work," NCDEQ officials said in a press release.
The checks started in early 2022, following rules set in 2019 when NCDEQ, Cape Fear River Watch, and Chemours struck a deal. When tests show bad water, Chemours must fix it. About 2,600 of the newly added homes use private wells for drinking water.
Workers have checked 20,000 homes since 2022. Instead of spreading out in circles from known problem spots, any home in the target zone can now get tested right away. This speeds up the whole process.
Got a private well? Call 910-678-1100 for testing. Want to learn more? Join NCDEQ's online meeting set for October 7 at 6 p.m.
