Federal government blocks cleanup funds as city officials scramble to contain toxic water crisis: 'There are known health effects'

When companies expose the public to dangerous chemicals, there should be remedies to clean up the toxins and ensure safety. This is not happening for residents of Fayetteville, North Carolina, who are facing a potential utility rate hike and an ongoing threat to public health after an executive order froze funds meant to clean up the city's PFAS exposure, WRAL News reported.

What's happening?

Fayetteville's water has been contaminated with PFAS for years. One of the notable causes is the Chemours Fayetteville Works plant, which dumped the chemicals into the Cape Fear River.

The Public Works Commission was supposed to receive $60 million in federal funding to install a new filtration system to address the contamination. That funding would have come through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and included a low-interest loan with partial principal forgiveness from the state Division of Water Infrastructure.

However, in March, President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14154, pausing disbursement of funds from the BIL and Inflation Reduction Act.

Now, the Fayetteville PWC has no way to fund the vital infrastructure upgrade except through rate hikes to residents, who are already having their rates raised by almost 11% over the next two years.

"These funds are needed to construct the granular activated carbon filtration system that we're working on," said Chris Davis, chair of the PWC board, during a recent city council meeting, per WRAL. "If the federal funding support goes away, it's apparent that PWC's only option is to look at rates."

Why is this PFAS problem important?

PFAS, also called "forever chemicals," are a class of chemicals used in a variety of products, including many with nonstick, stain-resistant, and water-resistant properties. PFOA and PFOS are two examples of PFAS. They are called forever chemicals because they don't break down, even over a prolonged period of time.

"These are a class of compounds that persist," said Ralph Mead, a PFAS researcher from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, per WRAL News. "They don't break down. They build up in your body over time. And the ones we know the most about, there are known health effects."

Those effects include cancer, liver damage, immune system damage, and developmental problems.

What's being done about the PFAS contamination?

While the funding may be on hold, officials say the PWC operations are not affected. There is some uncertainty about whether the filtration system will be in place to comply with new federal limits that go into effect in 2029, but it appears the project will go forward.

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Jean Zhuang, a staff attorney at the Southern Environmental Law Center, questioned the legality of the executive order that halted the funds. It's possible it could be overturned if a legal challenge moves forward.

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