State studies PFAs risk from sludge in Chapel Hill
IT WAS FALL.
>> CHAPEL HILL FAMILY UNCOVERED
SOMETHING STARTLING IN THEIR
WELL, WATER. THEY FOUND TOXIC
FOREVER. CHEMICALS IN THERE
WILL NOT. QUESTIONS ARE BEING
RAISED ABOUT WHETHER WASTEWATER
SLUDGE SPREAD ON NEARBY
FARMLAND IS TO BLAME FOR THIS
WRAL, CLIMATE CHANGE REPORTER
LIZ MCLAUGHLIN EXPLAINS
>> IT'S A WASTE. WATER DOESN'T
JUST DISAPPEAR AFTER ITS
TREATED. WHAT'S LEFT BEHIND
IS A SLUDGE CALLED BIO SOLIDS
AND IT'S OFTEN SPREAD ON
FARMLAND AS A CHEAP FERTILIZER.
WITH THAT SLUDGE CAN CARRY HIGH
CONCENTRATIONS OF FOREVER
CHEMICALS OR PFAS. ONE CHAPEL
HILL RESIDENT WORRIES. THAT'S
WHAT ENDED UP IN HIS WELL, THE
INPUT BOBBY KERR AND HIS FAMILY
HAVE LIVED IN THEIR CHAPEL HILL
HOME FOR 5 YEARS.
>> RECENTLY TESTING SHOWED
TOXIC FOREVER CHEMICALS IN HIS
WELL, WATER ABOVE THE NEW
FEDERAL LIMIT. THIS WATER IS
NOT RECOMMENDED FOR DRINKING
OR COOKING AT THIS TIME.
PFAS EXPOSURE HAS BEEN LINKED
TO HEALTH PROBLEMS, INCLUDING
CANCER, CONCERNED FOR HIS
FAMILY. MEEKER INSTALLED A
FILTER OVER $3,000. SO
IT'S LIKE WE HAD TO PAY FOR
THAT. HE SUSPECTS. THE SOURCE
IS BIO SOLIDS SPREAD BY THE
ORANGE WATER AND SEWER READY
FOR A LINES THAT STILL ALSO
PROPERTY LINE. MAKERS HOME IS
SURROUNDED BY FIELDS WHERE THE
PFAS LADEN BIO SOLIDS HAVE BEEN
SPREAD SINCE 1988. OWASSO SAYS
THEY NO LONGER SPRAY IN THIS
AREA. THE PFAS ARE CALLED
FOREVER CHEMICALS BECAUSE THEY
DON'T EASILY BREAK DOWN IN THE
ENVIRONMENT.
>> THEY NEED TO BE EITHER HELD
ACCOUNTABLE. I WANT TO SEE THEM
FIND. I WANT THEM TO FIX THE,
YOU KNOW, BE A PART OF THE
SOLUTION. I THINK IT'S A GOOD
OPPORTUNITY FOR A WALL. SO TO
GET AHEAD OF IT.
>> OWASSO CONFIRMED IT SPREAD
BIO SOLIDS IN THAT AREA AND
THAT THE SAME PFAS FOUND IN HIS
WELL HAVE BEEN DETECTED IN ITS
SLUDGE. THE UTILITY SAID ITS
APPLICATIONS COMPLY WITH STATE
FEDERAL RULES AND THAT THERE
COULD BE OTHER CAUSES FOR THE
CONTAMINATION WHILE WE DON'T
APPLY IN OUR OWN WATERSHED.
>> WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE
UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR BIO SOLIDS
OR ADDING TO THE ENVIRONMENT
AS WELL AS UNDER SEEING WHAT WE
CAN DO TO HELP MAKE THAT
BETTER. DEQ SAYS THERE ARE
CURRENTLY NO STATE OR FEDERAL
STANDARDS LIMITING PFAS IN BIO
SOLIDS.
>> AND IS STUDYING THEIR
IMPACTS STATEWIDE. WE'RE
ACTUALLY EMBARKING ON A
COLLABORATION BETWEEN ORANGE
COUNTY, CHATHAM COUNTY,
ALAMANCE COUNTY COUNTY AND
SEVERAL THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT'S
ASSOCIATED THOSE AREAS AS WELL
AS THE U.S. TO BETTER
UNDERSTAND WHAT'S GOING ON IN
THAT ARENA.
>> AWA SAYS BOARD RECENTLY
APPROVED FUNDING TO TEST
PRIVATE WELLS NEAR HISTORIC
BIO SOLIDS APPLICATION SITES
INCLUDING AREAS NORTHWEST OF