Governor Stein Highlights Power of State Investments to Provide Clean Water

Today Governor Josh Stein and Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson visited a home in Wilmington to highlight how state investments are helping North Carolinians address PFAS contamination and access clean, safe drinking water. Governor Stein visited with the Moore family, homeowners whose well water was found to be polluted with PFOA and PFOS. Through DEQ's Bernard Allen Emergency Drinking Water Fund, the Moores received a water filtration system that supplies their house with clean, uncontaminated water. Governor Stein's advocacy comes as last month, the EPA announced it would be eliminating limits on four PFAS chemicals in drinking water, including GenX.

"People need clean water. It's essential to our health and economic growth," said Governor Josh Stein. "North Carolina has taken meaningful steps to strengthen our water infrastructure. Now more than ever, we need to double down on these investments to keep treating contaminated wells so that when people turn on their tap at home, they are confident that their water is safe and clean."

"Forever chemicals like PFAS cause serious health problems, and one out of three North Carolinians currently drinks water with PFAS levels that exceed upcoming federal health standards," said DEQ Secretary Reid Wilson. "The most effective way to protect public health is to set limits on the discharge of these pollutants so that all North Carolinians can have the safe drinking water they deserve and expect."

Since taking office, Governor Stein has advanced more than $1.6 billion in water infrastructure projects to strengthen drinking water and wastewater infrastructure and reduce contamination by forever chemicals. As Attorney General, Governor Stein sued DuPont and Chemours for contaminating the Cape Fear River with forever chemicals, and he filed lawsuits against more than a dozen manufacturers for polluting communities across the state.

Governor Stein's recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 to keep North Carolina strong includes investments that ensure access to clean and safe drinking water. The budget bolsters residents' access to clean water with $25 million in grant funds to respond to contaminated wells and distressed water and wastewater systems along with $45 million in matching funds to draw down federal funding for clean drinking water. Governor Stein's budget also recommends $4 million to expand PFAS testing in the coming year, which would lower the cost of water treatment for families.

DEQ continues to hold Chemours accountable for discharging PFAS to the environment under the 2019 consent order, which requires Chemours to treat PFAS in groundwater at its Fayetteville Works Site in Bladen County prior to discharging to the Cape Fear River. DEQ also has worked collaboratively with other companies such as landfill operators to install treatment systems to remove PFAS from landfill wastewater so the contaminants do not reach treatment plants. Protecting drinking water supplies from PFAS, including private wells, is an integral part of the State's strategy to remove PFAS from North Carolina waters, but eliminating the contaminants at the source remains DEQ's key priority.

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