Water systems respond to report of toxin in area water supply.
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Water providers are trying to reassure customers after a StarNews report about a toxin discovered in the system that serves about 200,000 people in the area with drinking water.
The newspaper reported yesterday that GenX, a chemical replacement for a key ingredient in Teflon, has been found in the drinking water system of the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority.
Brunswick County Public Utilities (BCPU) said in a news release its water “meets all EPA and state standards regarding water quality, including monitoring for the presence and concentration of dozens of different chemicals and substances, with the results of more than 25 of those substances reported annually.
The county-run utility said local utilities have asked state regulators for more information.
H2Go also says its water meets all state and federal guidelines.
But H2Go says it may have a solution other providers don’t in trying to rid water of the toxin: its plan to build a reverse osmosis water treatment facility, which has been the topic of much debate recently.
“The decision to move forward with deep-well groundwater supplies and reverse osmosis water treatment eliminates the threat of these emerging unregulated contaminates.
The reverse osmosis water treatment plant will eliminate our dependence on the Cape Fear River, will improve drinking water quality, will maintain customer water rates at or below existing rates, and will ensure the long-term financial viability of the utility.” But in just the last several days there have been strong attempts at blocking H2Go’s plan for the $30 million plant.
Also this week, the Town of Leland said it is appealing a state permit issued for H2Go to build the reverse osmosis plant citing concerns about waste discharge from the plant into the Brunswick River.