BOLIVIA, N.C. – Brunswick County is testing additional water samples for per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) compounds after Chemours notified regional utilities Wednesday evening about sediment entering the Cape Fear River due to construction at its Fayetteville Works Plant.

Brunswick County is collecting additional water samples both Thursday and Friday to monitor whether the sediment spill resulted in any increased PFAS levels. Results can typically take a few weeks to process and return from the laboratory. Brunswick County publishes all test results on its website for transparency.

According to a statement from Chemours, the sediment spill was connected to a project to construct a system to capture and treat flow in a conveyance at its Fayetteville Works Plant to reduce PFAS loadings into the Cape Fear River.

Brunswick County has conducted voluntary, weekly testing for PFAS compounds in both its raw and treated water at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant since June 2017. All water samples since that time have remained below any established health advisory levels set for certain PFAS compounds, however most PFAS compounds are unregulated at the federal and state level at this time.

Recently, the Brunswick County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $122.6 million project to expand the water treatment capacity and install an advanced low-pressure reverse osmosis water treatment system at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant. Low-pressure reverse osmosis is considered the most protective system to remove regulated and unregulated compounds like PFAS from water.

The notice to construct the project was issued June 5 to Oscar Renda Contracting, Inc. The contractor is installing temporary construction offices and erosion and sediment control measures are now underway at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant. The low-pressure reverse osmosis system is estimated to begin treating water at the plant starting May 2023, with a projected completion of the full project in November 2023.

More information about water quality and Brunswick County’s initiatives to install an advanced water treatment system to remove regulated and unregulated compounds from water is at https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/utilities/gen-x-pfas-information/

Original Relase from Brunswick County: https://www.brunswickcountync.gov/brunswick-county-conducts-additional-water-testing-for-pfas-following-chemours-fayetteville-works-plant-sediment-spill/