LELAND, N.C. (WECT) – On April 24, Al DiMone was watching WECT News when he realized his help was needed.
That night, Albert Harrison, a longtime Leland resident and Vietnam veteran, shared his water quality concerns, expressing frustrations familiar to many people living in Brunswick County and Southeastern North Carolina. PFAS and water safety have been issues for years; recently, county residents have taken their concerns to county commissioners directly, pushing for more change.
People from around the county—mainly from predominantly Black communities—have argued their water is subpar, not safe and that commissioners aren’t doing enough to help them. Some, like Harrison, have suggested race has played a factor in the lack of a strong response. The county, for its part, has maintained its prioritization of the issue, constantly looking at grants and funding sources to improve water quality around the county…