$15M awarded to build water lines to Gray’s Creek homes, schools with contaminated wells

Paul Woolverton, The Fayetteville Observer
·4 min read

Cumberland County has been awarded a $15 million grant to help it build a water system in the Gray’s Creek area south of Fayetteville and Hope Mills, where well water has been contaminated by “forever chemicals.”

Residents and two schools have been relying on bottled water and filtration systems to avoid consuming the chemicals, known as GenX and PFAS.

But no date has been set to build the system, which would be part of the planned but not yet implemented Gray’s Creek Water and Sewer District. The county’s application for the grant says the project will run water to 1,028 residences and two schools — Gray’s Creek Elementary and Alderman Road Elementary. It's for those whose wells have GenX levels of more than 140 parts per trillion. That is a threshold goal of the state.

The application says the system would also serve additional homes in the area with GenX levels of more than 70 parts per trillion.

Residents have been clamoring for assistance since it was made public in 2017 that the Chemours Co. chemical plant off N.C. 87 south of Gray’s Creek had been emitting chemicals known as GenX and PFAS into the Cape Fear River and the atmosphere for years. Researchers have reported that PFAS and GenX are associated with cancer, poor child development, liver problems, kidney problems, reduced immune system response, and other problems.

They are sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment, and so “last forever,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other organizations.

The money is from the American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021

The $15 million grant comes from the federal American Rescue Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law of 2021, and North Carolina is getting $2.3 billion of that over two years, says a news release from Gov. Roy Cooper’s office. The State Water Infrastructure Authority approved Cumberland County’s grant on Feb. 23.

The grant application, dated April 2022, estimates the project will cost $28.87 million. The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners has previously allocated $21 million to the Gray’s Creek Water and Sewer District, the county’s website says.

“This project will bring potable public water to an area that currently has privately-owned drinking water wells that exceed the State’s health goal for GenX of 140 parts per trillion,” the grant application says.

The project includes 25,690 feet of 2-inch water lines, 109,950 feet of 8-inch lines, 51,750 feet of 12-inch lines and 11,300 feet of 16-inch lines.

The lines are to be installed along N.C. 87, Thrower Road, Alderman Road, School Road, Butler Nursery Road, Heartpine Drive, Dandelion Lane, Grady Marsh Road, Hall Park Road, Tranquility Road, Marshwood Lake Road, Council Road, Point East Drive and County Line Road, the grant application says.

Construction may depend on the outcome of a lawsuit against Chemours

A construction date is not set.

A well and water treatment system must be built first, said Cumberland County spokesman Brian Haney.

“The timing of all this may depend on the progress of the litigation with Chemours,” Haney said. The county sued Chemours and the previous owner of the plant, DuPont, in May of last year.

“Chemours created the contamination that we must address and Chemours should pay for it,” Haney said. “We understand that this is a critical issue for many of our residents, which is why we are pursuing all opportunities for funding. We will provide additional information when we are in a position to do so.”

Another $4.4 million for other projects

In addition to the $15 million for the Gray’s Creek Water and Sewer District, the State Water Infrastructure Authority approved nearly $4.4 million for other projects and programs in Cumberland County.

These are:

  • $400,000 for a water supply water supply feasibility study for GenX response.

  • $1.76 million for improvements to sediment ponds at the county’s Ann Street Landfill in Fayetteville.

  • $1.82 million for improvements in landfill gas collection and treatment.

  • $400,000 for asset inventory and assessment studies of the water and sewer systems in the Eastover Sanitary District.

Senior North Carolina reporter Paul Woolverton can be reached at 910-261-4710 and pwoolverton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: $15M grant to build water lines to homes with GenX/PFAS contamination