Flemington Community faces more water concerns

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — Water contamination is nothing new for people who live off 421 in New Hanover County. After dealing with a leaky landfill and potentially poisonous coal ash ponds, they’re now worried about GenX.

Decade after decade, worry over drinking water has plagued residents in one community and now, GenX is an issue.

“Nobody is happy with it,” Flemington resident Samuel Malpass said.

Samuel, who has lived in the Flemington community his entire life, is upset they are having to deal with possible water contamination for the “third” time.

“Well it started with the ole Flemington landfill then they put the Flemington well in, that’s when the duke, we found out that the coal ash was infiltrating to our well and now were on, they hooked us up to the Sweeney plant, so all this stuff coming from Fayetteville is impacting us over here,” Samuel said.

How much of an impact isn’t known yet. GenX is still being studied and there’s no word on how much is actually in our water.

The community has dealt with contamination twice before and now possibly a third time.

Because of the Sutton Steam Plant’s coal ash ponds, they had to connect to the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority and start paying for their water.

“I mean you’re on a fixed income here, I mean you can only stand for so much,” Samuel said.

Their well water was free, but contaminated. The CFPUA promised “high-quality drinking water” for them, at a cost.

Now resident’s like Linda Malpass said paying for the water isn’t right.

“I don’t feel that we should have to pay for the water, but there is nothing fair in life, so we have to do what we have to do, Linda said.

This neighborhood hopes this third time is the last.

Flemington residents are also hoping that their community is no longer pushed aside.