At the 2025 National Association of Counties (NACo) Conference in Philadelphia, New Hanover County joined nearly 3,000 county leaders nationwide to support new advocacy for federal protections related to PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances.
The resolution empowers NACo to advocate for federal legislation that offers liability protection to counties and addresses the financial and regulatory burdens local governments face as passive recipients of PFAS in water, wastewater, solid waste, and landfill systems.
“National momentum for real, meaningful change must start with strong local leadership and unified, bipartisan action like this,” Commissioner Rob Zapple said. Zapple attended the NACo business session on behalf of New Hanover County. “We value the collaboration among county officials nationwide and look forward to making progress together in these critical discussions.”
PFAS are widely used synthetic compounds that persist in the environment and may present risks to water quality and public health. Local governments often manage infrastructure affected by PFAS and are subject to complex state and federal mandates.
New Hanover County has partnered with the Cape Fear Public Utility Authority to support infrastructure like the granular activated carbon system at the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant that removes PFAS to non-detect levels. The county has advocated for the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to hold polluters responsible through legislative means.
More information on addressing drinking water safety is available at HHS.NHCgov.com.
