Over the last month, our Executive Director Dana Sargent went from Ocean Isle to Pender County, to Castle Hayne and everywhere in between collecting water samples from Lower Cape Fear community members on private wells. Cape Fear River Watch tested 30 samples using funds made available from the GenX Exposure Study grant. Some residents had already received testing from Chemours-funded sampling provided under the Consent Order, but some did not qualify for filters under the Consent Order. The limits of the Consent Order are not a reason for the Department of Environmental Quality to sit idle.

We are proud of the Consent Order. It was an important step forward, but cannot limit DEQ’s authority with respect to well contamination discovered after the order was entered.

But each one of these folks has a story. Stories that make clear that DEQ must use its full authority under state law to protect North Carolinians from Chemours’ pollution.  

Ty Jacobus, for example, owns an organic farm with his wife and has dangerously high levels - about 200 times the level EPA has deemed safe for PFOA and PFOS in his wells -- but he and his wife have to buy a filtration system out-of-pocket - before they grow food with their water. Dana visited a family horse farm, whose owner is concerned about the health of not just their human family members, but their beloved horses. She spent time with a young family that invested in a whole-house filtration system because their under-sink filters did not protect their baby during bath time - a time that should be filled with bubbles and joy, not guilt and fear.

This is just a snapshot of the stories she heard, but across the board, it was beyond evident that what is being done is just not enough.  

If you agree, please take a few seconds and fill out your contact info to send the letter we wrote (or change it up how you see fit) - that will automatically be sent to Governor Cooper, DEQ Secretary Elizabeth Biser, DEQ Assistant Secretary Sushma Masemore, and DEQ Director of Waste Management Michael Scott -- asking them to require Chemours to provide clean water through whole-house filtration or connection to public water supplies for EVERY single home and business in the Cape Fear Basin on well water and to pay for all maintenance and bills for the next 20 years.