PFAS, also called forever chemicals, have been linked to various cancers, and first received widespread attention in the Cape Fear River in 2017. Much of the pollution originated from a plant owned by the chemical manufacturer Chemours in Fayetteville.
Chemours’ well testing program resulted from a 2019 consent order between the company, NCDEQ, and the environmental watchdog group Cape Fear River Watch. It mandates that Chemours cover the cost of testing private drinking water wells for PFAS, GenX, and other forever chemicals. If a certain level is detected, the affected resident can request a house filtration system or clean drinking water at Chemours’ expense.
The well testing program has been in effect since February 2022. As of August 2024, it has sampled at nearly 20,000 residences, with nearly 9,000 households eligible for filtration…