South Carolina’s Pocotaligo River has been found by Waterkeeper Alliance to be the most polluted with hazardous per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the country.
The findings have implications for the health of residents who fish from the river, as well as rivers downstream.
“The high levels of PFAS in the Pocotaligo River are very concerning, especially for the people who fish in the river,’’ said Carl Brzorad, an attorney with Southern Environmental Law Center, in an email to The State. “All indications are that industrial dischargers in Sumter are dumping toxic PFAS into the Pocotaligo through the town’s wastewater treatment plant, which is not equipped to treat these chemicals. These industrial polluters need to treat their PFAS so that it doesn’t poison rivers and fish.’’…