DUKEVILLE — The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources released additional test results for private water wells across North Carolina, including 44 in Rowan county that were declared unsafe.

The results included exceedances for a number of different chemicals including: antimony, cobalt, chromium, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfate, iron, vanadium and total dissolved solids. Vanadium and chromium were the most common exceedances in previous well tests. The most recent results include a chemical — sulfate — determined by Duke energy to be directly related to coal ash contamination.

Before the most recent results, 39 wells had been declared unsafe. That number was raised to 44 in Thursday’s release from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. A total of 45 water wells have results returned and 100 wells have been identified for testing to date.

The newest release of information included three wells with exceedances in hexavalent chromium and vanadium. One water well had results that showed exceedances for vanadium, manganese and iron.

Contact reporter Josh Bergeron at 704-797-4246