A 2019 report from a water quality testing network found levels of non-degradable chemicals in many raw water sources, including in Orange County. While there’s not much federal regulation, local steps are taken to prevent customers from harmful levels of contaminants.

The Orange Water and Sewer Authority, which services the Chapel Hill and Carrboro community, was one of 150 public utilities the North Carolina PFAS Testing Network found with manmade chemicals in their supply.

The group looks for PFAS, which stands for perfluoroalkyl substances, which are water soluble and do not easily break down. Those chemicals are found in consumer products like carpets, jackets, non-stick pans, paints and food packaging. Often, they end up in rivers as discharge from manufacturing plants and can cause health issues like liver damage, depressed immune systems and more with high amounts of exposure.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not have specific regulation in place to punish the release of these chemicals, but the recommended threshold for all perfluorooctane sulfonate and acid in drinking water is 70 parts per trillion.

In OWASA’s case, the PFAS Testing Network found a combined 57.5 ppt in the agency’s main water supply, the Cane Creek Reservoir, last May. That’s a high sum, but it comes before OWASA treats the water and distributes it to the community.

According to OWASA’s Annual Water Quality Report Card for 2019, the sulfonate and acid tested by the North Carolina PFAS Testing Network are only a combined average 16 ppt after treatment, which fits with the EPA recommendation.

In a recent interview with 97.9 The Hill’s Aaron Keck, OWASA laboratory supervisor Katie Harwell said the service agency’s report card shows it met or surpassed all water quality requirements and guidelines in 2019.

“That’s something we really pride ourselves on and the whole team works on across the board to make sure we achieve,” she said.

Testing at the agency is done by three lab analysts and Harwell, along with eight plant operators who do separate testing. OWASA said it’s been doing voluntary testing of its raw water supplies since 2018 to check for PFAS and other substances to be proactive before treatment begins.

“The analysts go out to the lakes and sample the water out of our source water before it’s received any treatment,” explained Harwell. “We’re also testing the water once it’s made its way to the plant, the operators are testing the water continuously 24/7 to make sure that the processes are running smoothly. And we do all of the regulatory testing too, which is what’s reported in the [Water Quality] Report Card.”

OWASA also pulls water from University Lake for its drinking water, but the 2019 study conducted by the PFAS Testing Network did not test that supply.

You can learn more about the latest yearly OWASA Water Quality Report Card, as well as recent PFAS testing completed by the service agency, on its website. Full data and 2019 water quality tests from the North Carolina PFAS Testing Network can be found here.

Photo via the Orange Water and Sewer Authority.

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
On Air Today: Monica Dodson for Wonderful Water
Monica Dodson, the water supply and treatment manager for OWASA, joins 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell for this month's Wonderful Water segment! Dodson dishes on the agency's annual water quality report card and new guidelines around PFAS contaminants in water supplies.
Water Quality Issues Persist in CHCCS Buildings
CHCCS students are back in the classroom, but the district is still contending with water quality issues that arose from last year's closure.
Pair of Projects Set to Close E. Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill for Nearly 2 Weeks
A popular downtown street in Chapel Hill will close for around two weeks due to a pair of projects, according to the town government. An update shared Thursday said East Rosemary Street between Columbia Street and Henderson Street will close to through traffic starting on Saturday. The projects are the Orange Water and Sewer Authority […]
OWASA Presents Early Plans for $75 Million Facility, Rate Increases to Address PFAS Regulation
OWASA is planning a major facility to remove PFAS from customers' drinking water. But its price tag means steep short-term rate increases.
OWASA Granted $3.25 Million in State Funds to Replace Water Service Lines
The Orange Water and Sewer Authority is set to receive substantial funding from North Carolina to inspect and replace older water lines.
OWASA Continues Water Line Repairs, Expects Jones Ferry Road Remain Closed into Next Week
Repairs to a water main break along Jones Ferry Road in Carrboro are poised to stretch into the weekend, according to OWASA.
Local Governments, Water Agencies React to New Federal PFAS Regulations
Local water agencies in Orange, Chatham and Durham counties shared their support of new rules against "forever chemicals" in drinking water.
Biden Administration Sets First-Ever Limits on ‘Forever Chemicals’ in Drinking Water
Written by MICHAEL PHILLIS The Biden administration on Wednesday finalized strict limits on certain so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water that will require utilities to reduce them to the lowest level they can be reliably measured. Officials say this will reduce exposure for 100 million people and help prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancers. The rule is […]
Wonderful Water: with Katie Hall and Jennifer Gill
OWASA's Katie Hall and Inter-Faith Council's Jennifer Gill visit 97.9 The Hill's Brighton McConnell to promote Thursday's Care to Share Day.
Decades After the Dangers of Lead Became Clear, Some Cities Are Leaving Lead Pipe in the Ground
Written by MICHAEL PHILLIS Prandy Tavarez and his wife were expecting a baby when they bought a four-bedroom house in a well-kept neighborhood of century-old homes here. They got to work making it theirs, ripping off wallpaper, upgrading the electrical and replacing windows coated in paint that contained lead, a potent neurotoxin that can damage […]
›