Toxic chemical found in Pittsboro drinking water
ARE LIKELY CONNECTED, BUT
THEY'RE TRYING TO CONFIRM THAT.
IN CHATHAM COUNTY, A TOXIC
CHEMICAL RELEASE NEAR THE TOWN
OF PITTSBORO HAS PUSH LEADERS
THERE TO OFFER FILTERED WATER
TO RESIDENTS. WRAL REPORTER LIZ
MCLAUGHLIN JOINS US IN THE
STUDIO FOR THIS TO LEWIS.
HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN A
PROBLEM?
>> WELL, A HIGH LEVELS OF ONE
FOR DIOXIN AND INDUSTRIAL
CHEMICAL AND PROBABLE HUMAN
CARCINOGEN WERE RELEASED FROM A
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT IN
THE CITY OF BURLINGTON ON
SEPTEMBER 14TH. BUT THE RESULTS
WERE DELIVERED UNTIL MORE THAN
A WEEK LATER. TESTS SHOWED
LEVELS OF ONE FOR DIOXIN AS
MUCH AS 1300 TIMES GREATER THAN
THE HEALTH ADVISORY GOAL SET BY
THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
AGENCY, TRADITIONAL WITH
DRINKING WATER PLANTS CAN'T
REMOVE THE CHEMICALS AND
UPGRADE WOULD COST TENS OF
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THE SLUG
OF ONE FOR DIOXIN WAS
DISCHARGED INTO THE HALL RIVER,
A DRINKING WATER SUPPLY FOR
NEARLY 1 MILLION PEOPLE.
THE TOWN OF PITTSBORO ZINN TAKE
ABOUT 30 MILES DOWNSTREAM OF
BURLINGTON. IT'S THE SECOND
TIME IN JUST A COUPLE OF MONTHS
THAT THE CITY OF BURLINGTON
HAS CONTAMINATED PITTSBORO IS
DRINKING WATER SUPPLY.
BURLINGTON HAS RAMPED UP
TESTING AFTER A RECENT
SETTLEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY
AND HAN RIVER ASSEMBLY
REQUIRING COMPANIES TO BETTER
TRACK AND CONTROL FOREVER.
CHEMICALS ALSO KNOWN AS P FAST.
>> THE CITY OF BURLINGTON HAS
EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED TO
INVESTIGATE. ONE PART OXYGEN
BECAUSE WE JUST DID IT FOR
PEACE. ASK THE THEY HAVE THE
TOOLS TO REGULATE THEIR
INDUSTRIAL DISCHARGE. JURORS
THROUGH THEIR PRE TREATMENT
PROGRAM FOR THOSE PERMITS.
AND WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT THEY
WILL USE THAT SAME
INVESTIGATION PROCESSED TO
IDENTIFY THE SOURCES OF LITTLE
PRODUCTION WITHIN THEIR SYSTEM.
>> BURLINGTON'S WATER RESOURCES
DIRECTOR SAYS A CHEMICAL
MANUFACTURER IN THE AREA IS
THE SUSPECTED SOURCE AND HAS
MET WITH MANAGEMENT STAFF PLANS
TO SAMPLE IN TESS DALY FROM
THAT SOURCE. INVESTIGATE OTHER
MANUFACTURING SEWER OUTFALLS
A SAMPLE FROM BURLINGTON'S
WASTEWATER PLANT ON FRIDAY WAS
RUSHED, TESTED. AND THE RESULTS
TODAY SHOW A SIGNIFICANT
DECREASE IN THOSE CHEMICAL
LEVELS. OFFICIALS WITH THE TOWN
OF PITTSBORO SAY DRINKING
WATER. TEST RESULTS ARE
EXPECTED TOMORROW.
>> ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, LIZ
AND ASKED TESTING CONTINUES
PITTSBORO WATER CUSTOMERS AND
AQUA AMERICA INC E CUSTOMERS
CAN RECEIVE FREE FILTERED WATER
FROM CHATHAM MARKETPLACE.
YOU'RE ENCOURAGED TO BRING YOUR
OWN CONTAINERS AND USE THE CODE