Contamination threatens drinking water drawn from Haw River
THE STUDENT BEHIND THE THREAT
IS NO LONGER ENROLL. PITTSBORO
IS URGING RESIDENTS TO CONSERVE
THEIR WATER AFTER THE CITY OF
BURLINGTON DETECTED A SPIKE
IN A DANGEROUS CHEMICAL THAT IS
DRIFTING DOWNSTREAM IN THE
WHOLE RIVER. WRAL'S CLIMATE
REPORTER LIZ MCLAUGHLIN HAS
MORE ON THE CONTAMINATION.
>> THE CITY OF BURLINGTON HAS
REPORTED HIGH LEVELS OF 1, 4,
DIOXANE IN ITS WASTEWATER
DISCHARGE TO THE HALL RIVER
THREATENING DOWNSTREAM
COMMUNITIES. ONE FOR DOG SAYING
IS AN INDUSTRIAL SOLVENT.
MORE OR
>> A BYPRODUCT OF MANUFACTURE
OF VARIOUS CHEMICALS IT HAS
BEEN SHOWN TO BE A A HAVE HUMAN
HEALTH EFFECTS. IT AT CERTAIN
LEVELS.
>> BOB PATTERSON IS THE WATER
RESOURCES DIRECTOR OF
BURLINGTON. HE SAYS THE CITY'S
RECENTLY STARTED RAMPING UP
ITS TESTING AND HE'S DISCOVERED
MULTIPLE SLUGS OF ONE FOR
DIOXIDE OVER THE PAST YEAR.
BURLINGTON OFFICIALS HAVE
IDENTIFIED APOLLO CHEMICAL AS
THE POTENTIAL SOURCE OF THE
SPIKE AND ORDERED THE COMPANY
TO TEMPORARILY SEIZE PRODUCTION
HOUR. WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS WITH
THE COMPANY TO SEE WHAT
HAPPENED.
>> WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF
ISSUING THEM A PRE TREATMENT
PERMIT WHILE THE TOWN OF
PITTSBORO AWAITS TEST RESULTS,
IT'S MINIMIZE THE WATER.
IT IS DRAWING FROM THE HALL
RIVER AND ASKED RESIDENTS TO
CONSERVE WATER.
>> UNFORTUNATELY, NORTH
CAROLINA HAS BEEN A HOT SPOT
FOR INDUSTRIAL CONTAMINANTS AS
A WHOLE. EMILY SUTTON IS THE
HALL RIVER KEEPER AND HAS BEEN
PUSHING FOR MORE REGULATION
OF ONE FOR DIOXIN, INCLUDING
LIMITING DISCHARGE PERMITS TO
THE EPA HEALTH ADVISORY LEVEL
OF 35 PARTS PER BILLION.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF LITIGATION
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW TO TRY TO
GET THAT STANDARD PUT BACK INTO
PLACE AND GET PUT ON PERMITS.
>> AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE
WAITING TO SEE.
>> NOW, BURLINGTON IS WORKING
WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY TO
REQUIRE APOLLO CHEMICAL TO TEST
AND NOTIFY WOULD LEVELS ARE
HIGH AND DEVELOP A PLAN TO
MINIMIZE CHEMICAL LIZ
MCLAUGHLIN, WRAL NEWS,
BURLINGTON.
>> NOW PITTSBORO RESIDENTS.
YOU CAN GET DRINKING WATER FOR
FREE FROM CHATHAM MARKETPLACE.
THE WATER HAS BEEN TREATED WITH
A REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEM.