PFAS Information

Studies of communities and individuals exposed to PFAS have shown that certain PFAS may:

• negatively affect growth, learning, and behavior of infants and older children;
• lower a woman’s chance of getting pregnant;
• impair thyroid function;
• increase cholesterol levels;
• decrease immune system function; and,
• increase risk of certain types of cancer, including testicular and kidney cancer.

Animal toxicity studies are also a helpful starting point for understanding potential health effects. Laboratory studies in animals showed:

• increased pancreatic cancer
• birth defects, delayed development, and newborn deaths in lab animals
• delayed mammary gland development; and,
• effects on brain development

Humans and animals react differently to PFAS and not all effects observed in animals may occur in humans.

Whether or not you develop health problems after being exposed to PFAS depends on how much, how often, and for how long you are exposed, as well as which PFAS you are exposed to. Personal factors including age, lifestyle, and overall health can impact your body’s ability to respond to chemical exposures.

Researchers are working to better understand how exposure to PFAS might affect people’s health — especially how exposure to PFAS in water and food may be harmful. NCDHHS continues to work with various federal and state partners to review all new health and toxicity information about these compounds and shares new information with communities as it becomes available. For more information please visit the NC DHHS website

Consider installing a treatment system to lower the levels of PFAS from your drinking water. Treatment systems shown to remove a range of PFAS are available at various price points, which can be installed to treat your entire home, a single faucet, or may be a simple pitcher or refrigerator filter. Reverse Osmosis and Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) are two methods of filtration shown to lower PFAS levels.

Consider the overall quality of your water to determine the best filtration type to fit your needs. See our recommendations for a complete picture of your water quality below.

• PFAS Gardening Sheet
• PFAS Testing and Treatment Option

The NC DEQ PFAS Treatment System Assistance Program provides testing and treatment for eligible residents with private drinking water wells. Request testing through this program here.

While public water systems undergo regular water quality testing to ensure compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act, private well owners are responsible for testing their own water. Test your well regularly and deliberately to understand your overall water quality. Testing only for one or two compounds may give you an incomplete picture of your drinking water and may create a false sense of security.

• Address any issues uncovered by these tests. If installing treatment, consider options that are also certified to reduce PFAS levels.
• Alamance County does not currently offer testing for PFAS. For those who wish to test their water for PFAS, view this list of certified laboratories who offer testing.

Yes, there are private labs in the state that can perform analysis for PFAS compounds. The cost for sampling the well privately is at the owners’ expense. A list of labs can be found on NC DEQ website or by clicking here

What do I do after I receive my private well water test results?

Yes, there are private labs in the state that can perform analysis for PFAS compounds. The cost for sampling the well privately is at the owners’ expense. A list of labs can be found on NC DEQ website or by clicking here

What do I do after I receive my private well water test results?

The City of Burlington has periodically tested the water that flows from Lake Cammack into the City’s Water Treatment Plant. Testing to date has not detected levels over the current EPA Health Advisory of 70 parts per trillion which both the EPA and NC Department of Environmental Quality consider to be protective of public health. Additionaly, the PFAS that have been detected are not the same types of PFAS compounds as those found in well water at Central Fire Station.

The City of Burlington is currently developing strategies to implement additional technology at both of the City’s Water Treatment Plants to further decrease PFAS concentrations below upcoming regulatory limits. This project is anticipated to cost in excess of $100 million.

Persistent exposure matters, but there is likely just limited exposure.  The City of Burlington plans to increase sampling frequency at Lake Cammack.  Sample test results will be made available at www.BurlingtonNC.gov/PFAS.  The City will assist the NCDEQ and the Alamance County Health Department to address any environmental concerns that may arise.

As of February 13, 2026, letters have been sent to 39 properties within the initial sampling vicinity shown on the map below. If you are in this area, please complete the waiver and return to NC DEQ so they know you are interested in the free PFAS sample. They will notify you of the sampling date.

NC DEQ uses several environmental factors to determine the sampling area including, topography and distance to bodies of water such as streams and rivers. If the sampling area increases, additional letters will be mailed.

Yes, there are private labs in the state that can perform analysis for PFAS compounds. The cost for sampling the well privately is at the owners’ expense. A list of labs can be found on NC DEQ website or by clicking here

What do I do after I receive my private well water test results?