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DUKEVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Residents of a North Carolina hamlet adjacent to three massive coal ash dumps at Duke Energy's Buck Steam Station are worried after recent testing by an environmental group suggests their drinking wells could be contaminated.
Records reviewed by The Associated Press show Duke and North Carolina environmental regulators have known since 2011 that groundwater samples from monitoring wells near homes in the Dukeville community contained some substances exceeding state standards.
State officials could have required Duke to clean up the pollution. But that never happened, nor were those living near the plant warned.
Recent well testing by the Waterkeeper Alliance found traces of hexavalent chromium, a known carcinogen, and other potentially toxic substances.
Both Duke and state regulators say there is no evidence residents are in danger.
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