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.
More than 38,000 Gallons of Untreated Sewage Spills into Unnamed Hillsborough Creek
The Town of Hillsborough responded to a discharge of untreated sewage into an unnamed creek Monday morning. The spill, which the town estimated at 38,400 gallons, is believed to have begun Saturday and has since been stopped. According to a town release, the spill began due to a fence post stuck in an eight-inch sewer […]
OWASA's Rosemary Street Project Shifts To New Intersection, Nears Halfway Point
OWASA provided an update on its on-going W. Rosemary Street water main replacement process, which it said is nearing the halfway point.
Wastewater Overflow Releases 5,400 Gallons into Chapel Hill Tributary, OWASA Says
The Orange Water and Sewer Authority responded to a wastewater overflow at 4302 Drew Hill Lane in Chapel Hill Thursday afternoon. OWASA first arrived at the scene, located near Eastowne Drive, at 2:12 p.m. and stopped it within 36 minutes of the initial report, according to a release. OWASA says the sanitary sewer overflow released […]
OWASA Sets Date for Full Closure of W. Rosemary Street. Here's What You Need to Know
As part of an extensive water main replacement by the Orange Water and Sewer Authority, part of West Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill is set to close to all traffic in the coming weeks.
Water Main Break Causes Emergency Repairs, Lane Closures on E. Franklin Street in Chapel Hill
Part of East Franklin Street in Chapel Hill was shut down Friday morning as crews respond to a leaking water main that spilled water onto the road.
W. Rosemary Street in Chapel Hill Closed Amid Water Main Break
An alert shared by the Chapel Hill Police Department warned community members of a water main break along West Rosemary Street at 7:53 a.m.
OWASA's Extensive West Rosemary Street Project Begins on Nov. 3. Here Are The Details
OWASA plans to begin its construction Monday, Oct. 20 to replace a water main on Rosemary Street in downtown Chapel Hill.
On the Porch: Emily Sutton - Riverkeeper for The Haw
This Week: Emily Sutton is the Executive Director of Haw River Assembly ("HRA") as well as being the Haw Riverkeeper. She joined the staff of Haw River Assembly in 2016, managing citizen science projects to watchdog against sediment pollution and monitor the tributaries and main stem of the Haw River. She has been Haw Riverkeeper since 2018, leading the fight for HRA against pollution in the Haw River on many fronts, including emerging contaminants, Jordan Lake nutrients, and sediment pollution. She is a current member of the NC Sedimentation Control Commission. Emily grew up paddling rivers in the Midwest, and moved to North Carolina to receive her B.A at Appalachian State University in Sustainable Development, where she studied Agroecology, Watershed Ecology, and Outdoor Education. Emily lives in Durham, NC.
›