Dalton Carpet Companies Sued for Allegedly Contaminating Water

DALTON, Ga. — The Water Works and Sewer Board of Centre, Ala. has filed a lawsuit against 35 companies related to the Dalton carpet industry.

According to the lawsuit, carpet manufacturers have been releasing wastewater into the Conasauga River containing the toxic chemicals perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS.) The chemicals are used to make carpets stain resistant. The lawsuit cites several studies which link the chemicals with diseases including kidney and testicular cancers.

Although the wastewater is treated by Dalton Utilities before being released, the lawsuit claims these chemicals resist the treatment process and remain in the water. That water then flows from the Conasauga to Centre Water’s intake site on the Coosa River Basin. The site does not have the means to remove the chemicals. The lawsuit claims that the carpet manufacturers should be held responsible for the cost of upgrading the intake sites to remove these chemicals.