UNC study offering free well water testing on Dec. 6 to residents in Robeson, nearby counties

November 21, 2024

Woman at the kitchen sink filling a glass with tap water.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Superfund Research Program (SRP), in partnership with the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and Winyah Rivers Alliance, is offering well water tests to private well users in certain areas of Robeson and nearby counties. The purpose of this research study is to prevent and reduce harmful exposure to contaminated well water.

Residents who live in Robeson or nearby counties, are over 18 years-old and use a private well are eligible for a free well test kit. Interested households with private wells should come to one of the well testing locations, complete a short survey and pick up a free test kit. We will provide 200 well tests. More tests may be available if resources allow. Detailed sampling instructions will be provided.

On Dec. 6, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. well water sampling kits can be picked up at either:

The Turtle Building
Lumbee Tribal Offices
6984 NC-711
Pembroke, NC 28372
NC Cooperative Ext. Offices
455 Caton Road
Lumberton, NC 28360

On Dec. 7, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. residents must return their well water sample at either of the locations listed above. The samples will be analyzed for inorganic metal contamination. The results will remain confidential, water quality results will be e-mailed and mailed to residents’ homes and a follow-up community meeting will be held in the county to report back results and answer participant questions.

If you have questions about participating in the study, please contact Andrew George at andrewg@unc.edu or (919) 966-7839.

This research study is supported by the UNC-Chapel Hill Superfund Research Program (http://sph.unc.edu/srp). This research study was approved by the UNC Institutional Review Board on 7/5/2024 (Study #23-1445).