Chemours providing filtration units to neighbors with impacted wells
SOUTHEASTERN NC (WWAY) — Chemours plans to install and maintain whole house granular activated carbon filtration systems for residents whose drinking water wells show high levels of GenX.
According to a news release from Chemours, the GAC pilot filtration program has been a success. The company plans to install the filtration system in homes where wells tested above the provisional health goal of 140 parts per trillion for GenX.
“We’ve listened to our impacted neighbors and want to address those concerns quickly and effectively,” said Brian Long, Plant Manager, Chemours Fayetteville Works. “We’re committed to making whole-house GAC filtration systems available now to impacted residents, at no cost to them, to ensure they can turn on any faucet and access drinking water throughout the entire house without concern.”
Long said that results of pilot studies of the GAC filtration units requested by the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) prove without a doubt that GenX and all similar compounds from drinking water. Based on the study data, Chemours is confident in extending the offer to impacted residents while DEQ completes its review of the results.
The local pilot studies were conducted over a two and three-month period at six properties whose well- water tested above the state provisional health goal of 140 ppt.
“We’ve done multiple rounds of water sampling over consecutive months at the local pilot sites and are seeing tremendous results. The most recent data from each of the six pilot locations showed that all tested substances were at undetectable levels after carbon filtration in every pilot site. Based on the totality of the results we’ve seen, we are confident that the carbon is effectively removing all the compounds and represents the best solution. In fact, GenX concentrations are being removed to 100 times less than the 140 ng/L health goal.”
DEQ selected the six pilot sites and an independent laboratory has conducted sampling biweekly at each property to analyze the effectiveness of the filtration units over time in removing GenX and similar compounds.
That locally collected data support previous available studies that demonstrate the effectiveness of granular activated carbon filtration in removing GenX and similar compounds.
Chemours is actively reaching out to qualifying residents to extend the GAC system offer and hopes that all homeowners who receive the offer will accept.
Chemours says the offer is unconditional and requires no commitments, costs or obligations to homeowners other than agreeing to have the systems installed on their property and coordinating with the company’s installation and sampling teams to complete their work. Chemours will regularly test and maintain the systems to ensure their effectiveness.
The company continues to work with DEQ and other local officials to address the matter.
“We’ve listened to our neighbors and understand how inconvenient it has been for them to rely on bottled drinking water. We can install GAC filtration in a matter of weeks so they can once again drink from their faucets without concern,” Long said.
The company has been providing delivery of bottled drinking water to impacted homeowners.
Impacted residents who choose to have the GAC system installed will receive delivery of bottled water free of charge until the performance of their GAC system is verified.
Impacted residents who decline the GAC filtration offer will continue to receive home delivery of bottled drinking water or, should they prefer as an alternative to bottled water, will receive a Lowes or Home Depot gift card for use in purchasing an under-the-sink reverse-osmosis treatment unit.
