Cumberland County announced a historic $161.5 million settlement resolving the County's litigation related to PFAS contamination.

The County is among 11 local entities included in a broader settlement with the State of North Carolina involving The Chemours Company, DuPont de Nemours Inc., Corteva Inc. and EIDP Inc.

Board of Commissioners Chairman Kirk deViere announced the settlement Thursday, Sept. 10, alongside North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) Secretary Reid Wilson at the site of Phase 1 of the Gray's Creek Water Project.

“For years, Cumberland County residents have lived with the consequences of contamination they did not create. Families who did nothing wrong have worried about what comes out of their tap,” said Chairman deViere in a press release. “The lawsuit was about accountability. The settlement provides resources. The work ahead is about solutions. We will continue to use every resource to protect our communities, pursue additional state and federal support and build toward a permanent solution for clean, safe, regulated drinking water.”

The settlement follows years of County efforts to address PFAS contamination affecting private wells.

“Chemours and DuPont devastated North Carolina’s water and natural resources for decades,” said Attorney General Jackson in a press release. “This deal forces them to pay for the harm they caused the people of southeastern North Carolina, and gives our local governments more resources to help ensure clean drinking water for families. It is a massive step forward in giving our state more dollars to help fund clean water programs. This settlement puts even more teeth behind the consent order with NCDEQ. Chemours made this mess, and we’re making sure Chemours cleans it up.”

Phase 1 of the Gray's Creek Water System includes more than five miles of water main and is planned to provide public water service to 218 existing homes, including 184 properties impacted by PFAS contamination.

The County has already secured over $50 million in Federal and State funding toward public water infrastructure to address PFAS contamination in affected parcels.

The settlement provides an additional resource as the County continues developing long-term solutions to address PFAS contamination and expand access to clean, safe, regulated drinking water.