Private Well Water & PFAS in Alamance County, NC

Most of Alamance County's private wells raise no unusual red flags. But wells in and around Swepsonville, an unincorporated community in the county's south-central area, have tested for PFAS ('forever chemicals') at levels far above EPA drinking-water limits -- a real, documented, currently litigated contamination event tied to two specific, adjacent sources. Here's what a buyer needs to know before relying on a well near that area.

This page covers what's specific to Alamance County. For the general explanation, see the national guide.

What was found, and where

Residents in Swepsonville, a small unincorporated community in Alamance County, have had private drinking-water wells test for total PFAS at levels exceeding 3,500 parts per trillion (ppt) -- roughly 875 times higher than the EPA's federal drinking-water limit of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS specifically. The Haw River Assembly, a regional environmental advocacy group that has tracked and reported on the contamination, and subsequent local news coverage, point to two likely, adjacent sources: a pre-regulatory landfill (built before modern environmental protections existed) that is owned by Alamance County, and a nearby field where treated sewage sludge (biosolids), owned by the City of Graham, was applied as fertilizer. Separately, in early 2026, the state notified local officials that extremely high PFAS levels were found in a well at the Eli Whitney Volunteer Fire Station, identified as part of a statewide firefighting-foam PFAS research program the legislature authorized in 2023.

This is not a description of Alamance County's water generally -- it's a specific, geographically bounded contamination event tied to two identified, adjacent sites. If your parcel of interest is nowhere near Swepsonville or the Eli Whitney area, this page's core finding may simply not apply to you. But if it is in that area, or you're unsure, this is exactly the kind of locally specific risk a general county hub page can only flag in passing -- it deserves a closer look before you rely on a private well there.

A 2026 lawsuit names the county itself as a defendant

In 2026, Todd Dean (owner of Dean's Trucking in Graham) and Steve Wall (former owner of Steve's Garden Market in Graham) filed suit in Alamance County Superior Court, naming Alamance County, the cities of Burlington and Graham, and six companies as defendants, alleging they allowed hazardous PFAS chemicals to enter groundwater, private wells, and soil in the area. That the county government itself -- the same entity that owns the landfill identified as a likely contamination source -- is a named defendant is a notable, unusual detail worth understanding if you're evaluating land nearby: it signals this is a recognized, contested, and still-unresolved liability question, not a settled or minor local dispute.

As of this research pass, the lawsuit's outcome is pending. This page does not predict how it will resolve, and a resolution (settlement, verdict, or dismissal) could change the practical picture for property owners and buyers in the area -- confirm the case's current status if it's material to your decision.

What this means for a specific well or parcel

If you're evaluating a specific parcel with an existing well, or planning to drill one, anywhere near Swepsonville or the Eli Whitney community, get the well tested for PFAS specifically -- a standard bacterial/nitrate well test does not screen for PFAS, and you need to explicitly request PFAS analysis from a qualified lab. Ask the seller directly whether the well has already been tested, and if so, for the results and testing date; PFAS levels can also be checked against North Carolina DEQ's ongoing statewide groundwater PFAS monitoring-well network, expected to be substantially built out around 2025-2026, which may include data relevant to this specific area.

If a well tests positive for PFAS at levels of concern, point-of-use treatment (such as granular activated carbon or reverse osmosis systems certified for PFAS reduction) is a common mitigation approach, but it adds ongoing cost and maintenance -- factor that into your evaluation of the property rather than treating a positive test as something to address later. This is a distinct issue from the general statewide septic and well permitting framework Alamance County's Environmental Health office administers (see the county hub page) -- Environmental Health's role is permitting a new well's construction and general potability, not tracking or remediating a known regional contamination plume.

Private Well Water and PFAS Contamination in Alamance County, North Carolina

What was found, and where

A 2026 lawsuit names the county itself as a defendant

What this means for a specific well or parcel

Ready to talk to someone who knows land?