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NC Community's 'Forever Chemical' Level In Tap Water Sample Raises Concerns

This is a photo of the Haw River near Pittsboro, where high levels of PFAS have been found. KERI BROWN/WFDD

A North Carolina community that's grappling with PFAS contamination in its drinking water supply is highlighted in a new study by Consumer Reports and the Guardian. They partnered to collect tap water samples across the country.

They selected 120 people out of a pool of thousands of volunteers to test for some heavy metals and other contaminants.

In all but three of the samples collected, researchers found measurable levels of PFAS, also known as forever chemicals. That includes one collected from a church in Pittsboro. The level measured there was higher than the Environmental Protection Agency's health advisory limit.

Investigative reporter Ryan Felton with Consumer Reports says the study is limited in the sense that it shows one tap water sample at one location in a given day. But he says the North Carolina sample stood out because PFAS contamination in this community is something that residents have been dealing with for a long time.

“And I think that just points to the fact that alarm bells keep going off and regulatory action is still delayed and trailing far behind what the research and evidence has been mounted to date,” says Felton.

In some studies, scientists have found associations between exposure to specific PFAS and a variety of health effects, including high cholesterol, thyroid disease, kidney cancer, and tooth decay in children.

Follow WFDD's Keri Brown on Twitter @kerib_news

Keri Brown is a multi-award winning reporter and host at 88.5 WFDD. She has been honored with two regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her stories about coal ash, and was named the 2015 radio reporter of the year by the Radio Television Digital News Association of the Carolinas (RTDNAC).Although she covers a variety of topics, her beats are environmental and education reporting.Keri comes to the Triad from West Virginia Public Broadcasting, where she served as the Chief Bureau Reporter for the Northern Panhandle. She produced stories for the state's Public Television and Radio programs and was honored by the West Virginia Associated Press Broadcasters Association for her feature and enterprise reporting.She also served as an adjunct instructor at Wheeling Jesuit University and Bethany College in West Virginia. She worked with the Center for Educational Technologies in Wheeling, WV, and other NASA centers across the country to develop several stories about the use of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts in the classroom.Keri's journalism career began at WTRF-TV 7 in Wheeling. She worked in several roles at the station, including the head assignment editor. She also was a field producer and assignment manager at WPGH-TV Fox 53 in Pittsburgh.Keri is a graduate of Ohio University. When she's not in the studio or working on a story, she enjoys watching college football with her family, cooking, and traveling.Keri is always looking for another great story idea, so please share them with her. You can follow her on Twitter @kerib_news.

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