North Carolina reached a $590 million settlement with DuPont, Chemours and Corteva to address PFAS contamination, allocating roughly $23 million to Robeson County to fund water-treatment upgrades and landfill monitoring, with about $2.3 million expected in year one. The package includes a $455 million payout plus a $135 million reserve, the largest environmental-damages recovery in the state. A pilot filtration program is already running at the Rocco Water Treatment Plant while broader infrastructure work continues.
Robeson County To Receive Nearly $23M From $590M PFAS Settlement For Clean Water Upgrades
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Robeson County, North Carolina, is set to receive nearly $23 million to support clean-water projects as part of a broader $590 million settlement with DuPont, Chemours and Corteva over PFAS contamination that dates back decades.
The state announced the agreement, announced by Attorney General Jeff Jackson and NC Department of Environmental Quality Secretary Reid Wilson, to address contamination of state waters by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a group of long-lasting, human-made chemicals linked to health and environmental risks.
The settlement package includes a $455 million immediate payout and a $135 million reserve fund, making it the largest environmental-damages recovery in North Carolina history. Local reporting by WMBF News indicates Robeson County will receive roughly $23 million over time, with about $2.3 million expected in the first year.
County officials say the funds are earmarked primarily for public water treatment upgrades, including advanced filtration systems, and for continued landfill analysis and monitoring. A pilot filtration program is already operating at the Rocco Water Treatment Plant while broader infrastructure improvements are planned.
"It is a massive step forward in giving our state more dollars to help fund clean water programs," Attorney General Jeff Jackson said. "This settlement puts even more teeth behind the consent order with NCDEQ. Chemours made this mess, and we're making sure Chemours cleans it up."
The state case centers on contamination tied to the Fayetteville Works facility, which DuPont began operating in the early 1970s. State announcements say southeastern North Carolina was used for PFAS disposal over many years. A 2016 state study documented very high PFAS concentrations in the Cape Fear River watershed, which supplies drinking water to more than 500,000 people in the region and supports agriculture and recreation.
Background And Ongoing Actions
North Carolina's efforts to curb PFAS pollution date back nearly a decade. In 2019 the NCDEQ obtained an order requiring Chemours to stop certain wastewater discharges, reduce air emissions of GenX and other PFAS, provide filtration for residents with contaminated drinking wells, and address contamination sources at the Fayetteville Works site.
The state settlement is separate from a federal lawsuit filed in June that alleges groundwater feeding the Rocco plant was contaminated by Robeson County's landfill rather than by Chemours' operations. County officials say they will continue pursuing water-quality improvements regardless of competing claims.
Local Impact And Next Steps
Officials expect the settlement funds to pay for filtration equipment, system upgrades, landfill monitoring, and other remediation measures designed to make household water safer. The Rocco pilot program will inform larger infrastructure projects, and the reserve fund provides financial flexibility for future needs related to the contamination.
This settlement is part of a wider movement toward stronger polluter accountability and investments in environmental and public-health protections across the U.S. and beyond.
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