Division of Water Resources Identification of Select Emerging Compounds in Public Reservoirs and Lakes of the Little Tennessee, Hiwassee, Roanoke, and White Oak River Basins (2024)

In response to the rising interest in the public health effects associated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 1,4-Dioxane in drinking water sources, the Intensive Survey Branch (ISB) conducted a special study alongside our Ambient Lakes Monitoring Program (ALMP) to characterize the presence and concentrations of these emerging compounds (EC) in public reservoirs and lakes of the Little Tennessee, Hiwassee, Roanoke, and White Oak River basins. Beginning in June of 2024, ISB staff collected surface water samples for 47 different PFAS substances (Appendix 2) and 1,4-Dioxane at 21 ambient lakes monitoring stations, six of which are North Carolina public water supply reservoirs (Appendix 1). Analytical results indicated the presence of at least one PFAS analyte above the laboratory practical quantitation limit (PQL) in each sampled waterbody of the Roanoke and White Oak River basins during the 2024 sampling season. PFAS was only detected on Appalachia Lake, Santeetlah Lake, Lake Sequoyah, and Thorpe Reservoir in the Hiwassee and Little Tennessee River basins. It is important to note that all analytical data presented in this document reflect levels of target analytes detected in untreated surface waters, as opposed to finished drinking water.