ADDRESSING WELL WATER CONTAMINATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE IN SAMPSON COUNTY, NC

Sampson County is a rural area located in southeastern North Carolina. As the second highest pork producer in the nation, and first in the state for poultry production, Sampson County contains a significant amount of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). Additionally, Sampson County is home to the largest landfill in the state (1315-acres), an Enviva wood pellet facility, and is near the Chemours chemical manufacturing facility in Bladen County. These cumulative environmental pollutants have raised environmental justice concerns as over fifty percent of Sampson County residents rely on private drinking wells, which risk becoming contaminated with nutrients, metals, E. coli and other toxins due to poor waste management practices and especially after flooding events. Since 2021, 199 well water samples and 18 stream samples have been collected and tested for metals and anions using ion chromatography (IC) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). A correlation between ⅴ elevated contaminant levels in surface and well water and the distance/density of environmental pollutants was expected. Results show a 19.6% exceedance rate for at least one primary toxin (e.g. Pb, As, NO3), and 68.3% exceedance rate for at least one secondary contaminant (e.g. Al, Fe, Mn) in collected well water samples. Statistical analysis shows a correlation between distance to the nearest CAFO (km) and nitrate levels (mg/L) in both well and surface water collections. These findings support the need for a cumulative impact assessment to better assess the health and well being of residents in Sampson County.<p></p>