87 Of 117 Wells Located Near Duke Energy Coal Ash Pits Contaminated
Most of the private wells tested near Duke Energy’s North Carolina coal ash ponds show contaminants above state groundwater standards, state regulators said Tuesday.
Of 117 test results mailed to power plant neighbors in recent days, 87 exceeded groundwater standards, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said. In nearly all cases, DENR said, the well water would still meet federal standards for municipal water supplies. But health warnings included with many of the results advised that the water not be used for drinking or cooking.
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Duke said none of the private wells held elevated levels of two ash elements, boron and sulfates, that migrate through groundwater more quickly than other elements. They serve as indicators of ash contamination. “It’s been our experience that when we do see a (contaminated) plume, it’s led by boron and sulfates,” spokeswoman Erin Culbert said.
Environmental advocates say that doesn’t explain the vanadium that, according to The Associated Press, was reported in private wells around Duke’s Buck power plant near Salisbury. Vanadium is a naturally occurring element that is also found in ash, although Duke says it is more often associated with petroleum products. The metal possibly causes cancer, the federal Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry says.
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