Recap on GenX Contamination
GenX contamination has been on the worried minds of many people living in the Cape Fear River region for several years now. Though GenX is still present, it is reportedly far less than what it has been in previous years.
WHQR of Wilmington has recently published a two – part story on the realities of GenX contamination, providing the history and current status.
The first article, “GenX: Two Years Burning Down The Road, Part 1“, gives a simplified explanation of the chemical itself. GenX is a man-made chemical and byproduct of a manufacturing process for a group of chemicals called “PFAS”. Companies use this group of chemicals to create products “resistant to water, stains, and grease”. There has been no legislation passed to prevent companies from contaminating water with these chemicals.
Understanding GenX Contamination
From the second WHQR article, “GenX: Two Years Burning Down The Road, Part 2“, we learn that the General Assembly had a discussion on the PFAS issue. A decision was made to focus on research of the chemicals, such as where they originate, transportation vessels, methods for entering the body, and effects on human and animal health. This prompted creation of the PFAS Testing Network that includes six North Carolina universities: Duke, UNC Chapel Hill, N.C. State, UNC Charlotte, East Carolina, and UNC Wilmington.
Two years ago, UNCW researchers found GenX in Wilmington’s rainwater and sediment. You can read an article of ours from April 2018, “UNCW Researchers Identify GenX in Rainwater and Sediment from the Cape Fear River” to learn more details about their findings. This discovery was just the beginning. UNC Chapel Hill faculty has found that besides the water contamination, air is seemingly a carrier as well – taking chemicals from industrial sites to the ground.
GenX Levels in Water: Current Status and Plans
The Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (CPFUA) has recently concluded that drinking water is much safer than it used to be. WECT published an article earlier this month, “Two years later, where do we stand on GenX?”, that provides insight from CPFUA. Within the article, Jim Fletchner, executive director of CFPUA, reports significant changes have been seen in the GenX water contamination levels in the river over the past two years.
What started then at approximately 130,000 parts per trillion is now 150 parts per trillion and the finished treatment plant water is getting down to 60 parts per trillion. Fletchner also mentions that CFPUA tests the drinking water before and after it is treated on a weekly basis.
In addition to the reportedly decreasing levels of GenX, this WECT article includes information about the installation of a “granular activated carbon filter” at the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant.
The details of this filtration system are discussed further in the recent StarNews article, “CFPUA moving forward with $46M GenX filtration system”, which explains that construction of the $46 million project may begin as soon as November. The new aforementioned filters are expected to “remove 90 percent of the PFAS found in raw water drawn from the Cape Fear River”, while 14 of the existing filters have been upgraded.
We will continue to observe the GenX situation and deliver information on any new findings or resolutions. To learn more about the background and specifics of GenX, you can visit our law firm’s website pages:
- GenX Cancers Overview
- Summary of Information
- Timeline: GenX Contamination of the Cape Fear River
- Timeline: GenX Study Results
- GenX: Cancer Evaluation Form
Written by: Laura Beasley, Legal Assistant
Law Offices of Thomas J. Lamb, P.A.