DEQ-CFW_00023598

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Michael S. Regan, Secretary
Release: WIMEDIATE Contact: Bridget Munger; Chris Mackey
Date: July 26, 2017 Phone: [phone]
EMBARGOED: GenX concentrations in treated water continue downward trend based on new data
Week, four test results all below health goal level
RALEIGH — As part of its ongoing investigation, state officials today released new data for GenX concentrations in
water samples collected July 12 and 13 in the Cape Fear River.
Those test results show that concentrations of the unregulated chemical GenX in all treated water samples collected by the
state during week four of sampling remained below the 140 parts per trillion health goal developed by the N.C.
Department of Health and Human Services. The health goal represents the concentration of GenX at which no adverse
non -cancer health effects would be anticipated over an entire lifetime of exposure to the most sensitive populations. State
officials expect some fluctuation in results for measurements in the parts -per -trillion range.
Concentrations of GenX in the Cape Fear have dropped since the state's investigation prompted Chemours, the chemical's
manufacturer, to stop discharging GenX into the river.
"The good news is that all recent test results are showing levels of GenX in treated water trending downward to below our
health goal," said Mandy Cohen, secretary of the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. `Based on what we're
seeing, we're advising that people can continue drinking and using their water. We are keeping a close eye on any trends
and, as we have been doing, will alert the public in timely fashion as we have new results to share."
Michael Regan, secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality, added that his agency and staff at DHHS continue
to investigate.
"The first four weeks of data gathered as part of our investigation are very encouraging, and we're continuing our
investigation to 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 24 visit to Wilmington to meet with local officials about GenX, Gov. Roy Cooper announced next steps
that the state will take to protect drinking water in North Carolina and to get answers for people living in the Lower Cape
Fear region. Key points of Gov. Cooper's plan include directing the State Bureau of Investigation to assess whether a
criminal investigation is warranted, requesting a public health assessment from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention, fizrther engaging the EPA in the health assessment process, expanding the scope of the state"s reconstituted
Science Advisory Board, enhancing the disclosure and monitoring requirements for water quality pennits and investing
resources to prioritize safe water statewide.
As part of the state's investigation, DEQ will continue its water sampling regimen in the Cape Fear River for the
foreseeable future. State officials will use test results to inform decision making regarding future sampling. Taking
multiple samples from many locations will provide the most accurate data and help the state better understand how much
GenX was in the river at the time of sampling. It will also provide more current data to help evaluate potential health
impacts.
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DEQ-CFW 00023598

Water from all sampling iobeing sent totheEnvironmental ProtectionAgency's lab inthe Research Triangle Park and
Test Ameiica's lab in Colorado.
Water samples collected onJuly l2in theFayetteville area and July l3in theWilmington area show all finished water
sites have concentrations of GenX below the health goal of 140 parts per tni Ilion. Samplesinboth regions coUododdho
previous week also reflected this downward trend, except for one anomaly at the Blade Bluffs industrial site. Test results
for samples taken at this location came back below the health goal in the most recent round of testing.
Officials caution people that results can sometimes hoinfluenced hyodnfalLchanges iuhvurflovruand variability in
kdborm�ryn:euha�;�o/eovecgoing tohogreater and h`o000nLtoput such
small concentrations into perspective, said Sheila Holman, assistant secretary for the N.C. Department ofEnvironmental
Quality.
"It iovery difficult tounderstand how minute a particle one part per trillion really io," Holman said. "To better visualize
one part per trillion would ho represented bvusingle drop offood coloring in|8million gallons ofnm1ur."
Samples from some locations show elevatedconcentrations of(}enXinraw water that reflect the continued discharge by
Chemours in early July. At the request of the state and others, Chemours began divertingthe main source of GenXmway
from the drorand into holding tanks onJune 2|.The waste iebeing sent out_of-otatefor incineration. The company later
idomb�odothoroou0000f�cn}{diochxro�u1hsf��hb/undm��ppcdd�oou,nhioh0ElOinspectors confirmed during u
July 12 site visit. DEO plans to continue closely monitoring the Fayetteville facility.
DEQ expects to receive and make publicly available another batch of water sampling results uasoon uenext week. The
additional weeks of data will better reveal if there is an overall downward trend. D EQ 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.[.State University researcher who worked with the EPA &xidentify GcnXinthe Cape Fear River.
DEQ has created a map on its GenX web page to better illustrate the state's sampling results. Results may beviewed at:
hntpo://doq.no.gov/nuvro/hot-topiom/oonz-invoodgo1ion/oonz-oomup|ing-miteo. For more information about the otatu`o
investigation, you can check out the GenX web page at: https://deq.nc.gov/iiews/hot-topics/genx-investigation.
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