WILMINGTON, N.C. (WECT) – Environmental Groups want to make sure you’re aware of your health rights when it comes to clean drinking water.
Clean Cape Fear held a informational presentation on Saturday afternoon at St. Andrews-Covenant Presbyterian Church.
They invited speakers to discuss the current environmental status of local waterways.
For decades, chemicals and wastewater have been dumped into the Cape Fear polluting water supply.
It affects around 500,000 residents with cancer-causing chemicals known as PFAs.
PFAs is used while making plastic products, but it’s often released at unchecked amounts upstream in the Cape Fear River Basin.
“At the very end of Cape Fear River we are at the mercy to a lot industry pollution,” says Emily Donovan with Clean Cape Fear.
The chemicals don’t break down in the environment and it makes its way downstream into tap water.
Cape Fear Public Utility Authority, NCDEQ, Chemours, and research institutions test for the amount of PFAs.
Donovan says the levels are remaining the same but wants to push for standards and lasting protections against how companies dispose of waste.
“It’s time to get legally enforceable levels so we can hold polluters accountable,” says Donovan.
One expert says there is something the companies can do right now to help.
“There is technology that can remove these chemicals from the wastewater. There is product substitution, there is way to keep all the pollution onsite,” says Hannah Nelson, attorney with Southern Environmental Law Center.
Environmental groups ask that as a community we push these companies to find solutions.
“Just make sure that everybody is working together to solve this problem, that we are all a united voice in protecting water quality in our region,” says Donovan.
Clean Cape Fear says they believe change will come through new laws.
They encourage people to call on on local county commissioners, state representative, and members of congress to protect the federal drinking water standards.
It’s recommended that if you use public water, you look at your bill and find out who is your water provider and ask about testing.
If you’re on a private well then you can contact NCDEQ to see if you qualify for well testing.
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