State officials received results from well testing for Gen X at two elementary schools in the Gray’s Creek community in Cumberland County. There was no detection of GenX at Alderman Elementary School. Results for Gray’s Creek Elementary School showed concentrations of 5.19 parts per trillion, which is well below the state’s provisional drinking water health goal of 140 parts per trillion.
The state’s provisional drinking water health goal represents the concentration of GenX at which no adverse non-cancer health effects would be anticipated in the most sensitive population over an entire lifetime of exposure.
“People wanted to know about the water at their children’s schools, and today, we have some answers,” said Michael Regan, secretary of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality. “Both schools show low concentrations or no levels of GenX in the water. Based on these results, we see no issue with drinking or using the water.”
Based only on the low concentration or no detections of GenX, the state Department of Health and Human Services recommends that the well water for both schools is suitable for drinking, cooking, bathing and washing food, dishes and laundry.
Both schools, located about four miles from the Chemours’ Fayetteville Works facility, were tested Oct. 19 out of an abundance of caution.
DEQ officials yesterday notified Cumberland County’s health and school system officials regarding the results.
“We understand that the school system has to make decisions based on the health and well-being of its community. We fully respect its decision and will work with the county on potential long-term solutions if needed,” said Regan.
More information about the state’s ongoing testing and investigation of fluorinated compounds can be found at: https://deq.nc.gov/news/hot-topics/genx-investigation.
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