Recently, there have been news articles about so called “emerging contaminants” in Jordan Lake, such as the below article describing illicit discharges from Burlington. This has caused some concern to a few people who are aware that Jordan Lake is our water source.
Let me start by saying the important part: Our water is perfectly safe, and we have not detected these contaminants at our intake.
We have been testing for these contaminants for years, and have never detected them in any meaningful quantity. The reason is more or less geography: our intake is “up lake” from the Haw (where any contaminants from Burlington would come from). The Haw discharges into Jordan Lake right by the Jordan Lake dam, where it immediately flows south into the Cape Fear River.
Jordan Lake is also massive, which has the effect of diluting any contaminants that do somehow mix “up lake” towards us (this can happen when the dam is intentionally closed to raise the water level, such as ahead to control flooding during extreme weather events)
Our water is safe. If we were to detect PFAS or 1,4 dioxane, I would jump at the chance to join any number of lawsuits to hold the polluters in Burlington accountable. But as it is, I am told Apex has no standing – because we have not detected these chemicals. Pittsboro, which drinks directly from the Haw River, is another story.
None the less, know that Apex and Cary (we have a joint system) have been doing additional testing the past few years as these contaminants have become known. Also, we have an upgraded ozone treatment system at our treatment plant which has been demonstrated to reduce 1,4 Dioxane and related chemicals.
If you are concerned, please review our water quality report below as well as Cary’s emerging contaminants page, which has excellent technical information about what the risks are and what we are doing to combat it.
N&O Article: https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/counties/wake-county/article284937322.html
1,4 Dioxane Fact Sheet: https://www.carync.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/31998
Apex Water Quality Report: https://www.apexnc.org/DocumentCenter/View/1593/Annual-Drinking-Water-Quality-Report?bidId=
Cary Emerging Contaminants Information: https://www.carync.gov/services-publications/water-sewer-stormwater/water/water-treatment/emerging-contaminants
VISION OF THE PEAK 