HRA files 60 day Notice of Intent to Sue Burlington to Stop PFAS Contamination of the Haw River and downstream drinking water
On behalf of the Haw River Assembly, the Southern Environmental Law Center notified
the City of Burlington on Thursday Nov. 7, 2019 of its intent to sue the city for its undisclosed and illegal PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds) pollution of the Haw River, its tributaries, and Jordan Lake, the drinking water sources for Pittsboro, North Chatham County, Cary and Apex. Testing also shows discharges of 1,4-dioxane from the facilities. PFAS and 1,4-dioxane can cause serious harm to people’s health.We are currently in discussions with Burlington and reviewing data and information they are providing in regards to this case. Through their pre-treatment programs, wastewater treatment plants have the authority to require changes in the waste received from industrial facilities, such as adequate pollution controls implemented at the industrial sources of the PFAS pollution. “These compounds are known to be harmful to human health,” said Emily Sutton, the Haw Riverkeeper. “Downstream drinking water users have been exposed to contaminated drinking water for years. It's time to stop the pollution at the source and protect all downstream users and the ecological integrity of the Haw River basin.” Read the Press Release and the full Notice of Intent to Sue See map of Burlington and PFAS sources HERE