New Hanover County Board of Commissioners Urges Nationwide Enforcement of PFAS Regulations for Clean Drinking Water
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners is taking a stand on the issue of clean drinking water by urging nationwide enforcement of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) regulations. This comes after the approval of a policy resolution presented by Commissioner Rob Zapple at the National Association of Counties (NACo) Conference.
The resolution, which focuses on addressing potential health and environmental threats caused by PFAS, was unanimously approved by the NACo Environment, Energy and Land Use Policy Steering Committee. It was further presented to the NACo Board of Directors and officially adopted as part of NACo’s Policy Resolutions and Platform Changes for 2023.
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners recognizes that PFAS contamination is not unique to their community alone. Therefore, they believe it is essential to bring the issue to a national level. Board of Commissioners Chair Bill Rivenbark explained, There is still much to be done in terms of understanding the long-term impacts of PFAS, but we remain committed to supporting legislation and enforcement that regulates these forever chemicals and aims to keep all communities safe.
The policy resolution highlights the importance of continued support by the federal government and other agencies in studying the impacts of PFAS compounds. It also urges collaboration between the federal government, state, and local governments in considering potential legislation and regulatory actions related to PFAS.
The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners has been actively working with local, state, and federal partners since 2017, when PFAS was detected in the Cape Fear River. They have made efforts to address, mitigate, and regulate the impact of PFAS contamination on the community. Notably, they provided support to the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CFPUA) in the installation of a granular activated carbon filtration system at its Sweeney Water Treatment Plant. The plant went online in October 2022 and has proven highly effective in removing PFAS from treated drinking water.
Additionally, the CFPUA’s Richardson Water Treatment Plant utilizes a reverse osmosis treatment system, which has also shown great success in PFAS removal. The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners have collaborated with CFPUA, the City of Wilmington, and the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality to hold companies like Chemours and DuPont accountable for their contamination of the Cape Fear River.
Ensuring clean drinking water for all communities should be a top priority. The efforts of the New Hanover County Board of Commissioners to advocate for nationwide enforcement of PFAS regulations demonstrate their commitment to protecting public health and the environment. By collaborating with various stakeholders and supporting legislation, they hope to make significant strides in addressing PFAS contamination and its potential long-term impacts.
