Alert Center

Latest Update:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
29 September 2023

MEDIA CONTACT: Colby W. Sawyer, MPA CEM | csawyer@pittsboronc.gov | 919-542-4621 ext. 1108

Pittsboro Update 05- Town Receives Additional Test Results, 1,4 Dioxane Below Health Advisory Level and Still Decreasing

PITTSBORO, NC – This afternoon (9/29/23), the Town of Pittsboro received the results of rush samples taken yesterday at various places across the Town. The results indicate that the concentration of 1,4 dioxane throughout the Town continues to decrease while remaining significantly lower than the US Environmental Protection Agency's Health Advisory level (HAL) of 35 ug/L, or parts per billion.

The various testing locations revealed the following:

• Raw Grab from Intake (Coming from Haw River) – 2.33 µg/L
• Finished Water Grab (Water Leaving the Plant) – 4.77 µg/L
• Chatham Park Tank (Chatham Park of Suttles Road)– 4.98 µg/L
• Chatham Forest Standpipe (Back of Chatham Forest off Belmont Rd) – 4.95 µg/L
• Million Gallon Tank (Off Hillsboro St. in Area of Dark Oaks Dr.) – 5.28 µg/L
• Horton Tank (Behind Horton Middle School) – 2.59 µg/L

These results continue to indicate that the "slug," or concentrated area of 1,4 dioxane, has passed us, and we had minimal uptake. During the next few days, it is possible that concentrations may increase and decrease in the tanks. This variation is expected, as finished water at a higher concentration mixes with existing water within the tanks. These numbers will change based on the concentration found in the finished water, moving upwards or downwards based on this number, but the focus is on the raw water concentration decreasing over time. Our water plant staff will be working through the weekend to empty the tanks to refresh with new water.

The free water program at Chatham Marketplace for water customers and those who receive bulk water from the Town will end at 5:00 PM today (Friday, September 29^th, 2023). Use code 64261 to receive the water for free.

We will continue daily testing until concentrations of 1,4 dioxane reach a non-detectable level.

We encourage everyone to sign up for Town news and alerts by visiting www.pittsboronc.gov/news and clicking the "Notify Me" button. Users can customize the types of news/alerts they want and how they want to receive them. We also encourage everyone to sign up for emergency alerts from Chatham County at www.readychatham.org under the ALERT CHATHAM tab. In the event of an emergency, the Town can use this system for alert and warning purposes.

The next release will occur once we have received the testing results. We appreciate our customers' patience as we work through this situation together.

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