DEQ-CFW_00053494

From: Bridget Munger [bhdgetmungeMpncdenr.gov
Sent: 7/27/20174:38:30PN1
To: Holman, Sheila [/b=ExchanXeLabs/ou=ExchangeAdministrative Group
(FYD|BOHFI]3PDLT)/cn=Kecipients/cn=94a3f69674d34b759b3bd8]4a97IO5c5-szho|man]
Subject: GenX concentrations in treated water continue downward trend based on new data
Roy Cooper, Governor
Release: IMMEDIATE
Date: July 27, 2017
EnvironmentalEnvironmentaEnvEnvironmental
Quality,
Contact: Bridget Chris Mackey
Phone: 9l9-207-7786;9|9-855-484O
Michael S. Regan, Secretary
GcnXooriccritrationmin trcatcd water continuudownward trcndbascd onncwdata
Most recent test results all below health goal level
RkLEIG|0—Aspart o[itsongoing o(ku, state officials today released new data for {}onXconcentrations iuwater
samples collected July |2and |3inthe Cape Fear River.
Those test results show that concentrations o[the unregulated ohemicalOonX ioall treated water samples collected lwthe state
during week four of sampling remained below the |40parts per trillion developed hvthe N.C.Department uIHealth
and Human Services. The health goal represents the concentration ofGonXa{-which nmadverse non -cancer health effects
would be anticipated over an entire lifetime of exposure to the most sensitive populations. State officials expect some
fluctuation ioresults for measurements iothe pudm-por-thllionrange.
Concentrations o[GonXinthe Cape Fear have since the skUo`ombnn Chonxour,the chemical's
noonubxok�cst
op river. The iso the discharge and sending dout ofstate for
l{ugood news that recent test results are showing levels o[Oo0X in treated water dmmvmdmbelow our health
goal," said Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. "We will continue to monitor these
results to look for any new, emerging trends, and will alert the public in timely fashion as we have new results to share."
Michael Regan, secretary o{the Department o[Environmental Quality, added that his agency and staff a{DHHScontinue (o
"The first four weeks o[data gathered oapart ofour investigation mrencouraging, uudvo'rocontinuing our investigation ko
protect the health and safety of those who depend on the Cape Fear River for drinking water and other uses,"Regan said.
During his July 24visit (o Wilmington tumeet with local officials ubout(}onX, that the
state iataking boprotect drinking water inNorth Carolina and (oget answers for people living iothe Lower Cape Fear
Read the details of Gov. Cooper's plan.
D20will continue its water sampling regimen o[treated water inthe Cape Fearregion for the foreseeable future. Water from

Water samples collected on July 12 in the Fayetteville area and July 13 in the Wilmington area show all finished water sites
have concentrations of GenX below the health goal of 140 parts per trillion. Samples in both regions collected during week
three also reflected this downward trend, except for one anomaly at the Bladen Bluffs site. Test results for samples taken at this
location came back below the health goal in the most recent round of testing.
Water sampling results can sometimes be influenced by rainfall, changes in river flows and variability in laboratory results.
Moreover, variability in such low concentrations is going to be greater and it's important to put such small concentrations into
perspective, said Sheila Holman, assistant secretary for the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.
"It is very difficult to understand how minute a particle one part per trillion really is," Holman said. "To better visualize it, one
part per trillion would be represented by a single drop of food coloring in 18 million gallons of water."
DEQ expects to receive and make publicly available another batch of water sampling results next week. DEQ is also working
with the EPA lab to test for concentrations of other compounds related to GenX also noted in a research paper published by
Detlef Knappe, the N.C. State University researcher who worked with the EPA to identify GenX in the Cape Fear River.
DEQ has created a map on its GenX web page to better illustrate the state's sampling results. Results may be viewed at:
https://deg.ne.go-,T/iiews/liot-topies/gcnx-investigation/genx-sampling-sites. For more information about the state , s investigation,
you can check out the GenX web page at: hLtps://deg.ne.gov/neNvs/hot-topies/gcnx-investigation.
Facebook:
Twitter.
------ - ---------------------------------------- -
RSS Feed- hkt,
law-1--1 11--1 t-li-1--lic-li-1--.11.—I-.,-Ir-,-,-sl-le-ta,-s,-s-< i3l-k-
1601 Mail Service Centei�, Raleigh, NC 27699-1601
If you would rather not receive future communications from North Carolina Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources, let us know by clicking here.
North Carolina Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources, 217 W. Jones St., Raleigh, North Carolina 27699 United States
DEQ-CFW-00053495