In accordance with state and federal drinking water regulations, CWSNC is issuing a Tier 1 Public Notice to inform customers of the exceedance and provide important health information. Nitrite can pose a serious health risk to infants younger than six months of age because it can reduce the blood's ability to carry oxygen.

"As soon as we received the results, we took immediate action by removing the affected wells from service and coordinating with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality," said Jessica Dey, spokesperson for CWSNC. "We understand customers may be concerned, and we are committed to keeping the community informed as we gather additional information."

As a precaution, infants under six months of age should not drink the water or use it to prepare infant formula until further notice. Adults and children older than six months may continue to drink the water. Boiling water will not remove nitrite. Customers with health concerns or questions about their personal medical situation should contact their healthcare provider.

Additional samples are being collected, including repeat testing of the affected wells and testing of other wells within the system. CWSNC expects to receive additional laboratory results this week and will communicate those results to customers as soon as they become available. No other Carolina Water Service of North Carolina water systems are affected by this issue.

Additional Information: 

What Happened?

A routine compliance sample collected on July 7 detected nitrite at 2.1 mg/L (parts per million). The drinking water standard for nitrite is less than 1.0 mg/L, so public notice is required and prudent. This elevated level was from one of four of our entry points into the water distribution system. And it was shut off the source upon the test result as soon as we received the results. 

Is My Water Safe to Drink?

For Adults and Children Older Than Six Months

Yes. According to the public notice, adults and children older than six months can continue to drink the water. Nitrite is primarily a concern for infants under six months of age.

For Infants Under Six Months

No. Water should not be given to infants under six months of age or used to prepare infant formula until further notice. Bottled water or another source of water low in nitrite should be used.

How about the water supply?

At this time, we do not anticipate any impacts to water service. As an added precaution, we are making bottled water available for residents who prefer to use an alternative drinking water source while additional testing is underway. Bottled water will be available this evening at the Abington Wastewater Treatment Facility located at 6890 Bainburgh Court.

Why Are You Sending This Notice?

Federal and state drinking water regulations require public notification whenever nitrite exceeds the drinking water standard. We are required to notify customers within 24 hours.

What Is Nitrite?

Nitrite is a compound that can occur in groundwater from natural sources, septic systems, agricultural runoff, or fertilizer use. Levels can fluctuate over time.

What Health Effects Can Nitrite Cause?

Nitrite can pose a serious health risk to infants less than six months old because it can reduce the blood's ability to carry oxygen. Symptoms may include shortness of breath and a bluish color to the skin.  

I have health concerns, what should I do?

We recommend Customers with health concerns or seeking medical advice consult their healthcare provider.

We have collected additional water samples and are awaiting laboratory results. Once those results are available and reviewed, we will communicate any updates to customers as quickly as possible.

If your healthcare provider would like information about the recent nitrite notice, we can provide copies of the public notice and any available water quality information.

However, we are not able to provide laboratory test results until they have been received and validated as soon as possible this week.

Naturally Occurring Source: Nitrite can occur naturally in groundwater from the natural decay of organic material or mineral deposits.

The "Flushing" Effect: During dry periods, nitrogen-rich organic matter, minerals, and fertilizers remain stagnant and accumulate in the upper soil layers because plants aren't absorbing them as efficiently. When heavy rain finally hits, water rapidly carries this concentrated reservoir of nitrogen down into the groundwater table.

Has the Well Been Shut Down?

Yes. The wells associated with the elevated nitrite result were immediately taken out of service and are not currently being used to supply water to customers.

Are You Testing the Water Again?

Yes. Additional confirmation samples are being collected and have been submitted for laboratory analysis. We are also awaiting results from samples collected from the remaining wells in the system.

Could This Be a Laboratory Error?

We are collecting follow-up samples to verify the result and gather additional information. However, regulations require us to act immediately on the initial result and notify customers while additional testing is underway.

When Will This Be Resolved?

We are working closely with NCDEQ and awaiting additional laboratory results. Customers will be notified once testing confirms the system is back in compliance and any restrictions are no longer necessary.