Ten Georgia communities have secured $32.2 million in federal grant funding to tackle PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also called "forever chemicals") and other emerging contaminants in their drinking water and wastewater systems. The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority awarded the funds through programs created under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), representing a significant commitment to protecting public water supplies from increasingly common pollutants .

The grants were distributed across three distinct funding programs designed to address different community needs and water system challenges. In the local area, Dalton Utilities, Chatsworth Water Works, the City of Ringgold, and the City of Summerville all received substantial allocations. Additional communities receiving support include the City of Gray, Tennille, White, Harris County, Talbot County Board of Commissioners, and Augusta-Richmond County .

How Are These Grants Being Used to Remove PFAS from Water?

• Pilot Testing and Technology Installation: Chatsworth Water Works received $6.8 million through the Emerging Contaminants Drinking Water State Revolving Fund to conduct pilot testing and install PFAS remediation technology at its drinking water plant, building on a previous $7.3 million grant awarded in December 2023.
• Wastewater Treatment Innovation: Dalton received $3.6 million through the Emerging Contaminants Clean Water State Revolving Fund to study pre-treatment, removal, and destruction technologies for PFAS contaminants at the wastewater treatment plant, representing the second grant for this project.
• Small Community Support: Ringgold secured $2.6 million and Summerville received $4.5 million through the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Program to fund pilot studies, technology installation, and infrastructure upgrades including well construction and drinking water plant improvements.

The three funding mechanisms reflect a tiered approach to addressing water contamination. The Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities Program allocated $18.5 million to six communities, while the Emerging Contaminants Drinking Water State Revolving Fund distributed $9.2 million to four communities. The Emerging Contaminants Clean Water State Revolving Fund provided $3.6 million to one community .

What Are PFAS and Why Are They a Growing Water Concern?

PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in numerous industrial and consumer products, from non-stick cookware coatings to water-resistant textiles and firefighting foams. These substances earned the nickname "forever chemicals" because they don't break down naturally in the environment or in the human body. Once PFAS contaminate water supplies, they persist indefinitely, making remediation a complex and ongoing challenge for water utilities across the country .

The focus on PFAS remediation reflects broader federal efforts to address emerging water contaminants. Beyond PFAS, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently moved to designate microplastics and pharmaceuticals as contaminants in drinking water for the first time, adding them to the Contaminant Candidate List. This action signals growing recognition that traditional water treatment methods may not adequately address modern pollution sources .

"I can't think of an issue that hits closer to home for American families than the safety of their drinking water," said EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin at EPA Headquarters.

Lee Zeldin, EPA Administrator

The EPA's decision to include microplastics and pharmaceuticals on its Contaminant Candidate List opens a 60-day public comment period, with finalization expected by mid-November. This list identifies contaminants not yet regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act and helps the agency prioritize research, funding, and regulatory decision-making. While inclusion on the list doesn't immediately establish drinking water limits, it represents a critical first step toward potential future regulation .

Microplastics, tiny plastic particles found in drinking water and human tissues, have raised health concerns among scientists and doctors who are still assessing the full implications. Similarly, pharmaceutical drugs that enter water supplies through human excretion often escape removal by conventional wastewater treatment plants, creating an emerging public health challenge .

What Does This Mean for Homeowners and Communities?

The Georgia funding represents a tangible commitment to protecting residents from water contamination, but experts caution that the regulatory process for emerging contaminants typically moves slowly. The EPA's track record shows that inclusion on the Contaminant Candidate List rarely leads to enforceable drinking water standards in the short term. Of the nine pollutants the EPA most recently examined from its list, the agency determined in March that no regulatory action was appropriate for any of them .

"It's the beginning of a very long process that routinely ends in nothing," said Erik Olson, a senior attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council who works on drinking water protection.

Erik Olson, Senior Attorney at the Natural Resources Defense Council

Despite these cautionary notes, environmental advocates view the Georgia grants and EPA's microplastics listing as meaningful progress. The investment in pilot testing and technology installation in Georgia communities will generate real-world data about which PFAS removal methods work most effectively, potentially informing water treatment strategies nationwide. Communities that successfully implement these technologies may serve as models for other regions facing similar contamination challenges .

For residents in the affected Georgia communities, these grants mean that water utilities can move forward with testing and installing advanced filtration and treatment systems without placing the full financial burden on local taxpayers. The federal funding acknowledges that PFAS contamination is a national problem requiring coordinated federal support, not just local solutions .