‘We Just Want Clean Water’: Residents Sue a North Carolina County Over Landfill Contamination

Residents of Robeson County, North Carolina, filed a lawsuit against the county government on May 15, 2024, alleging that a local landfill is contaminating their drinking water with PFAS chemicals. The lawsuit, filed by the Southern Environmental Law Center on behalf of 15 named plaintiffs, states that the county has been aware of the landfill's leaching of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into groundwater since at least 2023. These "forever chemicals" are known to persist in the environment and the human body and have been linked to various health issues, including cancer and immune system dysfunction. The plaintiffs, who rely on private wells for their drinking water, are seeking to compel the county to address the contamination and provide clean water. The lawsuit specifically names the Robeson County Landfill as the source of the PFAS contamination. The Border Belt Independent reported this story in collaboration with Inside Climate News, highlighting the urgent need for safe drinking water in the affected communities.