Water Pollution's Impact On North Carolina's Environment

Water pollution in North Carolina is a pressing issue that poses significant risks to the state's soil, air, and water quality. The state's drinking water is contaminated with toxic forever chemicals, known as PFAS, which have been linked to various adverse health effects, including cancer, thyroid disorders, and immune system problems. Industrial operations, such as meat production and chemical manufacturing, are major contributors to water pollution in the state. Additionally, stormwater runoff, agricultural waste, and military activities also play a role in polluting North Carolina's waterways. The state has implemented some measures to address water pollution, but the contamination crisis persists, affecting both human and wildlife populations.

Industrial animal agriculture

North Carolina is one of the top poultry-producing states in the US, and its two largest hog-producing counties have more hogs than people. These animals are raised in industrial-scale operations, known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), which generate billions of gallons of animal waste per year.

CAFOs store animal waste in pits or open ponds, known as lagoons, which often leak and can rupture during large storms. To dispose of the waste, CAFOs spray this manure onto farm fields, which can have devastating environmental consequences.

In North Carolina, the primitive lagoon-and-sprayfield system used by industrial hog operations has contaminated water and exposed neighbouring communities to noxious odours and serious health concerns. During hurricanes in 2016 and 2018, millions of gallons of animal waste were released into floodwaters, streams, and rivers in coastal North Carolina.

Chicken waste, in particular, is especially high in phosphorus and nitrogen, which can lead to eutrophication and hypoxia in waterways. This process causes harmful algal blooms (HABs) that produce biotoxins, killing fish and other aquatic life and contaminating drinking water.

In addition to the environmental impact, industrial animal agriculture also affects the quality of life and incomes of nearby residents. Beaches may close due to algal blooms, and fishing activities may be limited. Excessive nutrient runoff in waterways can impact drinking water supplies and cause severe health problems.

Military base contamination

North Carolina's water systems have been contaminated with PFAS, a group of highly toxic fluorinated chemicals. PFAS are used in numerous consumer and industrial products, such as non-stick cookware, carpets, food packaging, and firefighting foam. Due to their widespread use, PFAS have been detected in the blood of almost every American and have contaminated most military bases and airports.

One of the most well-known cases of military base contamination in North Carolina is Camp Lejeune, a 156,000-acre military installation located in Onslow County. Camp Lejeune was placed on the Superfund program's National Priorities List in 1989 due to contamination of soil, sediment, surface water, and groundwater. The US Navy, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) have been working together to clean up the site and protect people and the environment from contamination. The Navy has removed contaminated soils, drums, storage tanks, waste liquids, and other hazardous materials from the site and has implemented groundwater treatment systems and bio-treatment cells for contaminated soil.

Another example is Fort Bragg, where high levels of PFAS were detected in the drinking water and wastewater. The contamination was found to be caused by industrial pollution from a nearby company, Elevate Textiles, which used PFAS in their manufacturing processes and discharged them into the water supply.

The Pentagon has acknowledged the seriousness of the PFAS contamination issue and has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on remediation efforts, with Congress earmarking an additional $517 million for this purpose. However, critics argue that the Department of Defense should be doing more to address the problem, as the current pace of cleanup could take decades and is unacceptable for the communities affected.

Stormwater pollution

Stormwater drains, like those found along curbs, do not go to wastewater treatment plants. Water entering these drains flows untreated into streams, rivers, ponds, wetlands, lakes, and oceans. As a result, stormwater can pick up and carry numerous pollutants, which can cause problems even in small amounts.

Sediment is the number-one pollutant in North Carolina. It comes from anywhere soil is disturbed and allowed to enter waterways. When suspended in water, sediment clouds the water and suffocates aquatic life. When it settles, it deteriorates habitats for fish and plants by burying stream riffles, which add oxygen to the water.

Other common stormwater pollutants include:

• Pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers
• Plastics, waste, and other debris
• Old equipment, pipes, and sewage sludge
• Paints, cleaning detergents, and chlorine
• Petroleum, fuel, motor oils, and other petroleum products
• Fats, oils, grease, cooking oil, grease, and food by-products
• Pet waste, livestock, and sewer overflows

To combat stormwater pollution, North Carolina's Stormwater Permitting Program develops, plans, and implements statewide stormwater control policies, strategies, and rules to protect its surface waters from the impacts of stormwater pollutants and runoff. The state also has a federally mandated National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Industrial Stormwater Program that covers a wide variety of industrial activities.

Drinking water contamination

The Cape Fear River watershed, which supplies drinking water to approximately 1.5 million people in North Carolina, has been contaminated with PFAS for decades, primarily due to discharges from the Chemours' Fayetteville Works plant and its predecessor, DuPont. This contamination has led to health issues for many residents, including cancer, thyroid problems, fertility issues, and asthma.

In response to the contamination, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has set standards limiting six types of PFAS in drinking water. These standards will require water systems to treat water and remove PFAS to ensure safe drinking water for North Carolinians. However, water utilities have up to five years to comply with these new standards.

In the meantime, residents are encouraged to use in-home filtration methods, such as multistage carbon filters and reverse osmosis filters, to reduce PFAS levels in their drinking water. Additionally, lawmakers and activists are pushing for policies to stop the pollution at its source and hold the responsible companies accountable.

The contamination of drinking water in North Carolina highlights the need for stricter regulations and accountability to protect public health and the environment from the harmful effects of PFAS and other toxic chemicals.

Coal ash

In North Carolina, coal ash has been a significant issue, with 47 coal ash dumpsites across the state. The state has 14 coal-fired power plants regulated under the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which governs wastewater discharges into surface waters. In 2013, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) filed four lawsuits alleging violations of state law regarding unlawful discharges and groundwater contamination at all 14 Duke Energy facilities. In 2014, an estimated 39,000 tons of coal ash spilled into the Dan River after a stormwater pipe beneath an ash pond ruptured. This incident brought to light the dangers of coal ash storage and led to increased scrutiny and action from state agencies.

The Coal Ash Management Act puts Duke Energy on a timetable to close all its coal ash ponds. Duke Energy has provided the state with environmental assessments as required by state law, and public and private drinking water wells within 1,500 feet of each facility are being evaluated for any contamination associated with coal ash. Additionally, DEQ is reviewing wastewater permit renewals and stormwater permit applications for the coal ash facilities.

In recent years, researchers have detected coal ash in sediment at the bottom of five North Carolina lakes, indicating that it can reach bodies of water in previously unknown ways. Airborne ash particles were found to have fallen directly into lake waters, and ash particles that dropped to the ground were washed into the lakes during extreme weather events. This discovery highlights the need for further research and action to address coal ash pollution in the state.

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