NCDEQ secretary tours Wilmington water treatment plant as PFAS pollution continues

Secretary Reid Wilson says he wants limits on PFAS emissions despite a state board repeatedly blocking regulations

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — North Carolina Department Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson toured the Sweeny Water Treatment Plant alongside local elected officials Friday. 

Wilson was there to view the facility’s granular activated carbon filters, which work to filter forever chemicals like Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances—also known as PFAS—out of the water supply. 

The filters cost Cape Fear Public Utility Authority $43 million to build, plus another $3.7 million to operate annually. They were installed to remove harmful forever chemicals dumped into the Cape Fear River by polluters upstream. CFPUA is in active litigation with Chemours—formerly DuPont—over decades of PFAS pollution.

Yet, despite local government spending millions to filter out the compounds, there are still no statewide limits on how much PFAS polluters can dump into the river—Secretary Wilson says that has to change. 

“Our department believes that the best way, the most effective way, and the fairest way to protect people’s help is to reduce emissions of these forever chemicals before they get into the waterways,” he said. 

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo notes the issue isn’t just limited to the Port City. 

“This isn’t just the Wilmington area, it’s southeastern North Carolina that’s been impacted by this,” he said. 

As Wilson explains, not every community has the funding to spend on new water filters. 

“There are plenty of communities in this state that do not have adequate resources to build a really expensive granular activated carbon system to remove forever chemicals,” he said. “That is why it is so important that we reduce the emissions of that pollution in the first place. “ 

Despite calls for action, it’s not actually Wilson that would make that decision. 

The Environmental Management Commission—which is an independent body appointed by the governor, General Assembly, and Commissioner of Agriculture has repeatedly blocked any attempt to limit emissions in the state, despite numerous studies that link PFAS exposure to thyroid disease and cancer. 

“They meet again in September, but we don’t know yet what they will put on the agenda,” Wilson said.

WWAY also received a statement from Clean Cape Fear Co-Founder Emily Donovan on the EMC’s refusal to establish PFAS limits that reads: 

“At this point we need to abolish the EMC. It’s a waste of taxpayer funds. NCDEQ should assume the ability to adopt state level regulations, it is the agency best skilled and staffed for the job.“ 

WWAY reached out to EMC Chairman JD Solomon for comment, but we have not received a response as of Friday evening. 

You can learn more about when the EMC meets by visiting the board’s website.