The health, safety and well-being of all Guilford County residents remain our top priority. We are working closely with the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and additional state and local officials to ensure there is safe, reliable drinking water in a way that protects public health.
Please see the list of frequently asked questions below. For more information, please contact the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) at (919) 707-8231.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), PFAS or Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals, are a group of chemicals used to make coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. PFAS have been used in clothing, furniture, adhesives, food packaging, heat-resistant non-stick cooking surfaces, and the insulation of electrical wire since the 1940s.
PFAS are synthetic chemicals and are not naturally occurring.
Almost everyone in the world has had some exposure to PFAS. The chemical can enter the body through eating food produced near places where PFAS were used or made, eating fish caught in contaminated waters, eating food packaged in PFAS materials, and swallowing or breathing in (intentionally or unintentionally) PFAS-contaminated soil, dust, or residue.
It is important to note that a person’s exposure to these PFAS can vary due to several factors because they have been used in millions of ways since the 1940s; Teflon-coated pans being the first consumer use back in 1961. The EPA itself estimates that only 20% of a person’s exposure to PFAS comes from drinking water.
80% of a person’s PFAS exposure can come from consumer products such as cookware, cosmetics, food wrappings, stain/water-resistant clothing, carpet and furniture treatments, and even deodorants, contact lenses, dental floss, and toilet paper. People can also be exposed by eating foods that may contain PFAS, such as fish, and it has been found in the air and in rainwater.
A well near the intersection of Pleasant Garden Road and Briarcrest Road has tested positive for high levels of PFAS.
The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) is working with the UNC Collaboratory and the Mayor of Pleasant Garden to address recent detections of PFAS in groundwater within the community. Groundwater data from an area was shared earlier this week. Based on PFAS detections in groundwater, NC DEQ will be sampling private wells over the next two weeks.
The Town of Pleasant Garden and state and local officials are providing bottled water to impacted households until private wells are tested. Residents must sign up to receive bottled water by leaving their information via voicemail at (336) 641-3193 or submitting your request at the link below.
For more information about PFAS exposure, please visit Action Strategy for PFAS.