Governor Cooper Proclaims June 3rd - 7th PFAS Awareness Week in North Carolina

Governor Roy Cooper | May 31, 2024

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"Today, Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed PFAS Awareness Week in North Carolina to raise awareness of Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in drinking water. North Carolina has been a leader in PFAS regulation, working to hold polluters accountable and creating an Action Strategy to clean contamination, protect drinking water, and enact rules limiting the amount of PFAS that companies can discharge. Absent this rulemaking, the entire burden of complying with new drinking water standards will fall to every day people who would pay higher water bills.

"North Carolinians deserve clean water and we must be at the forefront of the fight to contain forever chemicals," said Governor Cooper. "We are holding polluters accountable, researching solutions, and working hard to protect people’s health."

In April, the Biden-Harris Administration announced the first-ever national limit on PFAS in drinking water. Based on all available data, more than 300 water systems in our state have PFAS levels that will exceed the new standards. That includes 42 municipal water systems serving nearly 3 million residents combined, as well as approximately 20% of small public water systems tested. This comes as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provided funding for communities impacted by PFAS and other contaminants. The Governor’s 2024 Budget Proposal also includes a $100 million fund to help communities clean their water form pollutants such as PFAS."