The United States Environmental Protection Agency released health advisory values for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances GenX, PFOA, PFOS and PFBS today.

The GenX contamination was found in the Cape Fear River Basin and traced to the Chemours Fayetteville Works Facility. North Carolina has been addressing the contamination since 2017.

“The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and Department of Health and Human Services have been moving quickly to evaluate the state’s drinking water supply based on the health advisories and determine the next steps to assess and reduce exposure risks,” said a press release by the DEQ.

According to the EPA, there is an increased advisory for health effects such as effects on the immune system, cardiovascular system, human development, and cancer when drinking water with PFOA and PFOS compounds above the health advisory.

“For GenX, the EPA set a final lifetime health advisory level of 10 parts per trillion (ppt), which would replace the state’s provisional drinking water health goal of 140 ppt developed by NCDHHS in 2018,” the N.C. DEQ said. 

The EPA took action based on the exposure of the PFAS compound, and set a health advisory level of ten which will replace the state’s provisional drinking water. In a consent order, Chemours is required to provide whole house filtration or connection to a public water supply for private well users facing GenX contamination that exceeds the advisory.  

The PFOA and PFOS compounds have been used nationwide in consumer goods and industrial processes and have now been phased out by GenX and PFBS.

It is recommended that water systems measure all levels of PFOA and PFOS and take steps to inform consumers and undertake additional samplings to scope and source the contamination and limit exposure. 

Currently, PFBS has not been found in significant concentrations in sampling to date in North Carolina as stated in the press release.

The DEQ and DHSS plan to reach out for affected residents in the weeks ahead.