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Federal funds help New Castle add water filtration equipment

The City of New Castle has added new filtration equipment to the town’s water system.

The upgrade removes dangerous chemicals from the town’s drinking water with half of the bill paid for by a USDA Rural Development grant.

The $500,000 Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant came after New Castle temporarily shut down wells due to the high level of perfluorinated chemicals, or PFC’s.

Delaware’s Department of Health and Social Service first discovered the pollutants in New Castle’s well water last summer. PFC’s are commonly used in non-stick cookware and fast food packaging.

The new filtration system replaces the temporary fix of renting equipment that has been in place for a year.

The is only the second time in Delaware that the Emergency Community Water Assistance Grant Program has been utilized.

The first time was in 2001 for the Town of Selbyville when two of three wells were out of service.