Throughout the entire United States, there is the constant
threat of pollution to groundwater. This means there is a strong chance that
some of the water you drink could be polluted. It is also the same water used
to bathe. This can lead to a number of negative health effects.
The state of North Carolina is not immune to this threat.
Recently, an environmental report confirmed those threats as very real and
legitimate. Those reported threats have stemmed from the presence of coal ash
contamination.
This particularly hit home in the city of Belmont, N.C., as
it had the second highest contamination of coal ash in the entire county.
Belmont was listed among sites in 39 other states in the report. However, one
particular area was worse off.
Duke Energy's Allen Steam Station was the location where the
coal ash contamination was at its worst. That comes as no real surprise to
residents as there has been a growing concern about contamination for several
years. The results were identified after a pair of environmental groups
provided reports of their findings to the Environmental Protection Agency.
The report states that the Belmont area features coal ash
dumps that are contaminating the groundwater with cobalt. Water tests confirmed that
this contamination was 500 times beyond the acceptable level. Thyroid damage
has been linked to excessive exposure to cobalt. Meanwhile, other pollutants
were also identified. In fact, the findings showed that pretty much all the
water beneath coal plants showed signs of contamination.
This is a major concern because coal plants typically have
higher levels of arsenic, which can cause a variety of cancers. Moreover,
lithium has been identified in 60 percent of coal plants. The presence of
lithium can damage the human neurological system, in addition to causing other
health risks.
This latest report could not make an exact determination on
drinking water due to the fact that there were no tests conducting on private drinking
water sources. Once again, this comes as no surprise to many people who reside
near the Allen Steam Station. Consequently, residents have been buying bottled
water in bulk for years.
Groundwater could be threatened no matter where you live and
that is why it’s important to purify your water with one of the filtration
systems offered through Carolina Water Products. For the best water systems in
Charlotte, NC and the surrounding areas, contact Carolina Water Products today.
