Water Quality
Condition and safety of water sources
Latest stories
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Cary water safe to use, schools on normal schedule after water main break impacts 50,000 customers
The town of Cary on Tuesday said water is safe for normal use 24 hours after a 30-inch water main break disrupted service for about 50,000 customers.
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Drought can affect your drinking water long after the rain returns
Rain is improving North Carolina's drought, but experts say changing water quality remains a concern. Here's how utilities are adapting and what private well owners should know.
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Court orders Durham chemical company to stop creek contamination flowing toward Jordan Lake
A court ordered a Durham chemical company to stop contaminating a creek that flows to Jordan Lake, requiring cleanup plans, monitoring and public warning signs.
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NC attorney general: Chemical settlement an insult, will continue suit over water contamination
Chemours will pay a civil penalty of $22.5 million for alleged violations and spend $90 million over 15 years to mitigate PFAS discharges in three states: West Virginia, North Carolina and New Jersey.
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Advocates criticize proposed NC PFAS strategy for lack of enforcement power
A public hearing on Monday night in Raleigh will focus on a PFAS plan that critics say lacks limits. Residents can weigh in as the state considers rules that could affect water safety and costs.
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Hillsborough weighs water and sewer rate increases amid Chantal damage, higher costs
A local government consulting company is recommending that the Town of Hillsborough increase water and sewer rates by 7.5% over the next three fiscal years to maintain the town's ability to cover debt obligations.
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Halifax County declares state of emergency after residents go days without water
Halifax County has ordered a pause on all digging and trenching construction after they say a third party has hit their water lines multiple times.
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Leak in Halifax County water supply leaves some customers without water
Public utilities crews in Halifax County are working to repair a leak in the community's water supply.
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Conserve water: Extreme cold causing water treatment issues in Johnston County, county says
According to Johnston County Public Utilities, the county is experiencing treatment process interruptions at the Timothy G. Broome Water Treatment Plant due to extreme cold weather.
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North Carolina pushes back as EPA moves to scale back PFAS reporting
After decades of PFAS contamination, North Carolina’s attorney general is challenging an EPA proposal to narrow reporting requirements for toxic “forever chemicals.”
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Creedmoor leaders consider water filter plan amid quality concerns
Creedmoor city commissioners are reexamining a plan to provide water filters to residents after concerns arose about poor water quality. Reports indicate the water may contain forever chemicals and heavy metals, prompting renewed discussion.
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Erwin loses water after line accidentally hit
A contractor accidentally hit a water line in Erwin Monday afternoon, knocking out water service to the entire Harnett County town.
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EPA targets Asheboro pollution
Federal regulators heard emotional testimony Wednesday night about how North Carolina should handle toxic chemical releases from the City of Asheboro's wastewater plant -- pollution that eventually flows into the Cape Fear River Basin, a drinking-water source for more than 1 million people.
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EPA hearing draws debate over toxic chemical limits in NC drinking water
Federal regulators heard emotional testimony Wednesday night about how North Carolina should handle toxic chemical releases from the City of Asheboro’s wastewater plant — pollution that eventually flows into the Cape Fear River Basin, a drinking-water source for more than 1 million people.
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"Forever chemicals" found in Chapel Hill well as county studies sludge’s role
PFAS detected in a Chapel Hill family’s well are prompting Orange Water and Sewer Authority to launch private well testing near historic sludge fields as state regulators study potential contamination sources.
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Residents tired of waiting for clear water solution in S. Granville County
A years-long water-quality problem in Southern Granville County has residents fed-up. They say the water is often discolored and smells bad.
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Granville County residents wait for clear water, but short-term solutions are scarce
Despite residents' demands for action, city leaders and SGWASA cite legal and financial constraints, focusing instead on long-term improvements. The community is divided on how to ensure safe drinking water in the meantime.
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Hillsborough leaders discuss flooding at Eno River pump station
Flash flooding sent raw sewage into the Eno River, prompting a boil order from the town of Hillsborough.
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Water service in Hillsborough restored, boil water notice lifted after unprecedented flooding
The town of Hillsborough is actively working to restore full water and sewer services after flash flooding from Tropical Depression Chantal caused widespread damage, including raw sewage spilling into the Eno River and contaminating the town's drinking water supply.
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Boil water notice lifted in Hillsborough
Hillsborough's boil water notice has been lifted, but the town's water system remains vulnerable as its main treatment plant is offline.
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Hillsborough lifts boil water notice, urges conservation as water system remains fragile
Hillsborough's boil water notice has been lifted, but the town's water system remains vulnerable as its main treatment plant is offline.
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Tracking trash: NC State study reveals hidden path of plastic pollution
Researchers launched GPS-equipped plastic bottles into a Raleigh creek to track how local litter travels downstream, breaks into microplastics and threatens ecosystems and human health.
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GPS will track trash in NC waters to show how litter spreads
Researchers launched GPS-equipped plastic bottles into a Raleigh creek to track how local litter travels downstream, breaks into microplastics and threatens ecosystems and human health.
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‘A wish list for polluters’: Critics slam NC’s PFAS plan
Residents protested a draft PFAS rule at a state meeting Tuesday, saying it doesn’t protect communities or drinking water. Commissioners delayed a vote, citing questions about the rule’s cost analysis.
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Harnett Co. commissioners delay final decision on fluoride in water
The Harnett County Board of Commissioners has tabled a final decision on keeping fluoride in drinking water.
