Caswell County outlines PFAS monitoring plan for closed landfill after state notice

County staff updated the Board of Commissioners on plans to monitor and address elevated PFAS detected at the county's closed municipal solid-waste landfill.

Miss Williamson, the deputy manager, said the county was notified on Sept. 9, 2025 that PFAS levels exceeded thresholds and that the county completed a receptor survey and submitted a work plan that the state approved on Feb. 23, 2026. "We have completed a receptor survey and developed a work plan, both which were submitted and approved by the state on 02/23/2026," she said.

Staff told the board the current work plan calls for installation of two monitoring wells at locations recommended by the geologist and additional surface-water sampling. The county is also sampling its on-site drinking-water well; staff said that if drinking-water samples show contamination the plan will be revised and the county may add a third well (and possibly a fourth) to better characterize groundwater. A county staff member summarized the course: "If my drinking well is positive, they will be pushed all the way as far as we can get them," and otherwise the planned two wells should be sufficient.

Officials noted sampling and lab analysis are expensive: board discussion cited lab costs "over $1,000" per PFAS sample. Staff estimated the full remediation and monitoring work—roads/access, drilling and sampling, and contingencies including a potential third well—at about $130,000 but said final cost figures will follow the drinking-well lab results and a detailed estimate from the geologist.

Commissioners asked about funding. Commissioner Smith noted the county added a $55-per-household fee in August to cover closing abandoned landfills and said those funds were intended for similar expenses. Staff confirmed the fee revenue has been used for such projects and that the PFAS sampling expenditures are in line with that purpose.

Miss Williamson and other staff said the geologist and the state are in ongoing communication; the county will continue sampling and will return to the board with any recommended changes to the work plan once lab results are available.

The board did not take a formal vote on the work plan at the meeting; staff said sampling will proceed and that the county will incorporate project costs into the FY26–27 budget planning process.