Pittsboro, NC – I attended the Pittsboro Water issues presentation held at the Chatham Ag Center on October 16. The two hour presentation and Q&A session was extremely informative and the room was packed with consumers of Pittsboro water, both town residents and residents of Chapel Ridge.
The Haw River Keeper (moderator) started the presentation by asking if any “Town Commission candidates were present?”
I only saw one hand go up! Maybe I missed the others?
Wednesday night, the experts addressed the PFAS and 1,4 Dioxane contamination in the Haw River (Pittsboro’s water source), possible sources of the contamination and health effects (all not good).
NC water quality officials, a NC epidemiologist and researchers from Duke, NC State and UNC Chapel Hill all made the point that the chemicals contaminating Pittsboro water are not regulated chemicals; more research is needed on health effects; and that new Federal and state regulations and policies were needed to address these “unregulated” chemicals that are being discharged in the Haw River (and elsewhere in NC & the USA)
When asked if they would drink Pittsboro town water, all of the experts on the panel said “NO” or NOT before the water is “filtered”!
What was not addressed at this meeting was what the town administration is going to do about the PFAS & 1,4 Dioxane contaminants that are in the Pittsboro drinking water
I have read statements from all of the candidates that they are in favor of “cleaner and safer water” and “updated infrastructure” – that is great, so are we all – but how are they planning to achieve these “goals.”
Before any of these candidates receive my vote, they need to outline exactly what actions they will take, if elected, to address the drinking water contaminants – both short-term and long-term – and what will be the costs to the Town taxpayers and consumers of Pittsboro water.
I look forward to hearing specifics from all of the town commission candidates before I cast my vote. I bet there other Pittsboro voters who feel the same!