PFAS levels concern Sanford

The Sanford Council heard updates on PFAS levels, a coliform event, the water intake agreement, the farmers’ market, citizen participatory projects and ordered new Christmas decorations at the Aug. 11 work session.

Nick Fortune, Director of Business Management for TriRiver Water, and Project Engineer David Rosen, discussed the PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate), man-made “forever chemicals,” known as PFAS.

According to Hazen’s report, Sanford’s PFAS maximum contamination levels (MCL) exceed North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) standards.

The regulatory PFOA level is 4.0 parts per million, and in 2025, Siler City reported 4.5. In 2022, it was 1.9 ppm.

The regulatory PFOS level is 4.0 parts per million, and in 2025, Siler City reported 5.0, and in 2022, was 5.8.

However, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (EPA), “Public water systems have five years to meet the new MCLs.”

“Technically, Sanford is in compliance,” Fortune said. “In two to three months, we will have a new standard of compliance,” he said about the time allowance to meet MCL standards.

The University of North Carolina’s website NC Pure explains PFAS.

GAC was the recommended treatment because it had a smaller overall footprint and better media utilization. The EPA recognized GAC as the best available technology for PFAS removal.

Private citizens may use reverse osmosis to treat PFAS in their homes, but it is too cost prohibitive for the city.

TriRiver will use a $20 million grant from the North Carolina Department of Water Infrastructure to partially fund the GAC treatment facility.

The construction is expected to begin in Sept., take 18 months to complete, and under new state regulations, must be completed by 2029, with a new expected deadline of 2031.

Member Mark Akinosho asked when the city should inform the public that PFAS levels are not in compliance because it jeopardizes public health and did not receive a clear answer, other than Fortune’s statement that Sanford was technically in compliance.

Member Charles Taylor explored how to inform the public and said education was key.

The following video explains how the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant in Wilmington implemented the GAC system.

The council heard an update on the coliform (bacteria) contamination. The contamination originally involved only three residents and TriRiver representatives knocked on their doors to notify them to boil their water. It spread. On August 8, all customers living on Oakleaf Road were notified of the boil water advisory. On August 10, further testing found coliform bacteria in the other roads listed above. At that time, the advisory was expanded to include those areas.

The test is a positive or negative test and does not indicate quantities or the specific type of bacteria, which could be from a living or not organism. The E. coli (feces) test was negative.

Customers in the impacted area will continue to receive updates: Eakes Road, Cedar Lane Road, Hancock Road, Blakely Road, Old Jefferson Davis Highway and Oakleaf Road.

Water lines flushed by TriRiver Water on Eakes Road discharge from local fire hydrants or blow-off valves into adjacent roadside ditches and storm drainage systems, which eventually empty into local streams and waterways in the Cape Fear River basin.

A problem identified in the discussion did not have an immediate feasible solution. When large corporations, such as gas stations that sell drinks with ice, are notified via TriRiver’s customer email system, it could be days before the notice trickles down to local stores, jeopardizing public safety. Which means large box stores and chain restaurants may need a TriRiver employee to personally deliver the contamination notice.

UPDATE: Aug. 12 at 4:50 p.m.: “Unfortunately, we had one failed coliform test in today’s results. Because of that, we’re leaving the boil water advisory in place for now and continuing to flush the system. All tests continue to be negative for E. coli,” Cameron Clinard with TriRiver writes in an email.

Sanford accepted the Western Intake Partnership Agreement for raw water in Siler City.

Sanford manages allocations for Siler City and Pittsboro. Durham owns the land, will own the intake, operate it, and Sanford will take a portion of what Durham spends. If Sanford owns nine allocations, which are awarded by the state and are subject to change with legislation, they will still only pay for what it uses. The chances are high that when Sanford needs to build its own water treatment facility, it may buy some land from Durham.

There will be only two intakes on Jordan Lake: East and West. TriRiver will use the West intake.

Durham is still strategizing how much land it needs.

Member Mark Akinosho said Sanford should buy land now to fight rising inflation.

Sanford Participatory Budget

This is the second year the city has allocated $20k for a citizen-proposed project to benefit the public. During the participatory budget, the council narrowed its choices in an unrevealed vote for the best citizen proposal.

The council monopolized discussions about the 3-D sign, bike racks, benches, decorative crosswalks and especially the holiday projector kit, which has options for multiple scenes.

Because the adaptive swings were viewed as a necessity for enjoyment of the parks, the council is investigating the purchase instead of including them in a vote consideration.

Pilgrim’s Sanford Agricultural Marketplace

Will Ellington, a new face with the Lee County Agricultural Center, reported that he profiled attendees and one of five attendees visited from outside Lee County. He said 90% of vendors are Lee County residents, Saturday sales saw an average of $25,000 in sales, and Wednesday vendors sold $4-5,000.

Member Jean Dabb said farmers were doing so well they hired local help.

Taylor suggested an employer reward program so they could reward employees at the farmer’s market.

A contentious discussion about Farmers’ Bureau Insurance donating $25,000 for audio and visuals in exchange for meeting rooms and honorary plaques arose when Taylor asked if another insurance company could have the same agreement. It was quickly resolved when a finance officer said the agreement includes a statement that there was no limit on adding another company.

Christmas Wreaths

Without a formal vote, the mayor asked the council “Is everyone good on this,” and ordered 139 Christmas wreaths with warm white replaceable bulbs at $61,885. The city must replace the brackets to accommodate the larger pieces at 6 feet in circumference.

It takes 12 weeks for the wreaths to ship and may arrive the first week of Nov.

Sanford has $80k budgeted for decorations.

The old 5-foot snowflake decorations with bright white fixed, LED lights were purchased in 2016, and 13 of the 130 are beyond repair. The city will sell the old snowflakes.

The city will investigate costs and how to string garland with lights across the street from the corner of Carthage and Steele Streets and Wilrik and Steele Streets, just like in the good old days.

The next meeting is Aug. 18 at 5 p.m.

Aug. 12, 2026

Stephanie M. Sellers

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