From PFAS to data centers, the challenges facing North Carolina's water systems
North Carolina's water systems are grappling with significant challenges, including widespread PFAS contamination in drinking water. While state officials are implementing new regulations, critics argue they don't adequately address the source of pollution. Data centers across North Carolina and the nation are also identified as potential stressors on both water quality and availability.
North Carolina's water systems face mounting challenges due to the pervasive presence of PFAS, or "forever chemicals," in the state's drinking water, particularly in the Cape Fear River Basin which supplies over a million people. State officials estimate that 3.5 million North Carolinians consume tap water with PFAS levels exceeding EPA standards. However, new state regulations aimed at curbing these toxic chemicals are criticized by groups like the Southern Environmental Law Center, whose senior attorney Kelly Moser argues they do not sufficiently prevent pollution at its source.
Simultaneously, the federal EPA is reportedly considering weakening hundreds of chemical regulations, as an internal memo suggests. In this complex environmental landscape, the expansion of data centers in North Carolina and nationwide is highlighted as a factor that could further strain the availability and quality of water resources. The segment featured guests including Brandon Jones, Catawba Riverkeeper, Kelly Moser, and environmental reporter Zachary Turner from WFAE.