Experts test water quality in Northwest Georgia after forever chemicals concerns raised

PFAS Georgia walking down to a creek in South Dalton to test it for a dangerous chemical.

DALTON, Ga. (WDEF)- Water quality experts are raising alarm bells about a dangerous chemical in Northwest Georgia.

The group PFAS Georgia says more than 250 tests of various water sources across that region show elevated levels of the PFAS chemical.

This chemical is found in many items ranging from cookware to fire fighting foam.

Experts like the noteworthy paralegal and environmental activist Erin Brockovich say that they began investigating Northwest Georgia after receiving tips from local residents.

“We’ve been told there could be PFAS. They wanted to report that they had sick animals, that they themselves are sick. They’re worried about cancers. I’ve had people from the industry say that we’ve worked here and we’re concerned about what’s going on and what’s happening to our land or we understand our water is contaminated so we don’t know what that means,” said Brockovich.

Water tests so far, like the one conducted on Friday, show that these forever chemicals are present in many northwest Georgia waterways up to a hundred times more than legally allowed.

“Four parts per trillion is the maximum contaminant level allowed in drinking water. That doesn’t mean four parts per trillion is safe, but it means that it is economically and technologically feasible to treat to that level. If you at the maximum contaminant level goal of the EPA, the goal is zero,” said Bob Bowcock, the water resources manager for PFAS Georgia.

There have been some initial steps taken to clean up drinking water, but the experts say this is just one part of the solution.

Bowcock said, “A lot of communities aren’t actually getting it at really high levels anymore in their drinking water. But if they eat local fish, get dust exposure, if they actually have land application on their fields, they could be feeding it to their dairy cows.”

Ultimately, they say the responsibility of this situation lies on the chemical companies who they say were not transparent about this danger and it’s impact on the environment.

Attorney Ben Finley with PFAS Georgia said,  “It’s impenetrable, and it’s known as the forever chemical, it’s forever. It is something that has be remediated and something that needs to be cleaned up in the environment because it is a repetitive ongoing harm and it’s hurting people in this community.”

Brockovich added, “It’s really concerning, frustrating, upsetting. I don’t know what we’re thinking. When you destroy the land, the air, the water, and our health, that’s it. Where do we go from there?”

PFAS Georgia will be holding town halls in Chatsworth and Dalton this weekend to further discuss this issue with residents.