PITTSBORO, N.C. — Colby Sawyer has lived in Chatham County almost four years.  

Never once did he think drinking water would be an issue he would face, but as the town of Pittsboro’s public information officer he knows it all too well. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Town of Pittsboro has filed a lawsuit against 20 manufacturers, alleging they contaminated the towns drinking waters

  • PFAs are connected to a number of long-term health effects

  • The lawsuit would hold the manufacturers liable for the cost to correct the contamination

“Of course it’s concerning. We want to provide the cleanest and best water possible," Sawyer said. "When it comes to regulated chemicals our water treatment staff knock it out of the park. They really do an amazing job. We do struggle with these unregulated chemicals.”

The unregulated chemicals Sawyer is talking about are perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances better known as PFAs. 

After years of discussion and research the town believes that many of these substances were coming from manufacturers. 

The town filed a lawsuit against 20 of these companies, and if the lawsuit goes through it would make them liable to pay the costs to correct the damages. 

“We allege that the defendants knew about the risk posed by their products. They failed to warn of those risks," Sawyer said. "They took no steps to protect or mitigate against those risks. They continued in their pursuit of profits.”

One of the manufacturers Spectrum News 1 reached out to, 3M said in a statement: “3M acted responsibly in connection with products containing PFAs — including AFFF (aqueous film-forming foam) — and will vigorously defend its record of environmental stewardship. AFFF was a critical tool developed to serve an important need for military service members and other responders facing high hazard, potentially life-threatening challenges.”

One of the groups that urged for the town to pursue action was Clean Haw River, a group advocating for protecting the town's waters.

They say the health effects of PFAs can be devastating if not treated. 

“Common health effects are thyroid issues, cholesterol issues, certain types of rare cancers are showing up a lot," Clean Haw River member Jessica Merricks said. "Reproductive issues within men, women and developing babies. The list goes on and on, but those are the first to come to mind.” 

The advocacy group has taken to social media and using their website to educate people on testing themselves for exposure and how to receive the best care. 

Merricks, who is a professor at Elon University and a resident of Pittsboro since 2019, says the lawsuit is a promising sign. 

“When I read the lawsuit and saw how many different ways the town is arguing on our behalf, I was just really excited about that," Merricks said.

Sawyer says this action will protect the town now and in the future. 

“That’s why we are taking these steps today. We want our residents to feel safe when they drink our water," Sawyer said. "We want our water customers to know they are getting the highest quality product possible.”