North Carolina officials are warning more residents living near Duke Energy’s coal ash pits that it’s not safe to drink or cook with their well water after tests showed contamination levels that is raising health concerns.

The state Department of Environment and Natural Resources said Tuesday that 152 wells tested near Duke’s dumps failed to meet state groundwater standards. That represents more than 93 percent of the 163 wells for which tests have been completed so far.

Many of the tests results show high levels of toxic heavy metals such as lead, vanadium and hexavalent chromium.

Last month, the state said tests of 87 private wells near Duke’s plants failed to meet state standards. A state law passed after last year’s spill into the Dan River required testing of all drinking wells within 1,000 feet of Duke’s 32 coal ash dumps.

The ash is a byproduct of burning coal to generate electricity. It contains numerous potentially harmful chemicals, including those now showing up in the wells of Duke’s neighbors.

http://abc11.com/news/more-people-near-coal-ash-pits-told-not-to-drink-water/698904/

(We need an actual BAN until the States pass strong regulations to protect our citizens

and until the US Congress removes the Halliburton loopholes and protects our

environment).