Cape Fear Public Utility Authority has named Vaughn Hagerty as its new public information officer, according to a news release.

Hagerty's new role with the utility will begin Jan. 9, officials said in the release.

He has more than 25 years of news experience in a variety of roles at organizations such as the Miami Herald and local newspaper Star News, stated the release.

Hagerty broke the news in a June 2017 StarNews article that GenX was found in the public drinking water of Wilmington-area residents. He has been researching and writing about the topic over the past two years.

GenX and other related compounds have been found in the Cape Fear River and have been linked to The Chemours Co. operations at the Fayetteville Works plant near the river in Bladen County.

"As we head into a new year and our second decade of service to the residents of New Hanover County, we’ll have much to share with our community, from upgrade plans at the Sweeney Water Treatment Plant to work that makes our water and wastewater systems more resilient to storms and other potential threats," CFPUA Executive Director Jim Flechtner said in the release. "If you’ve followed developments about GenX, you’ve probably encountered Vaughn’s work. He brings significant experience as a communicator and a solid understanding of issues important to CFPUA and its customers, so we’re pleased to have him on our team.”