Georgia officials knew nearly two decades ago that toxic chemicals called PFAS were spreading from the carpet mills of northwest Georgia into rivers that are the region's main source of drinking water, yet they did little to warn the public or address the contamination, an investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Associated Press, and FRONTLINE (PBS) has found.
A Hidden Crisis
Stormy Bost grew up in Calhoun, Georgia, swimming in creeks and drinking tap water made into sweet tea. Now 34, she has elevated PFAS levels in her blood and has been diagnosed with liver and thyroid conditions linked to the chemicals. Her story is not unique; many in the region suffer from health problems potentially caused by PFAS, known as forever chemicals because they persist in the environment and the human body.
Testing by the University of Georgia in 2008 alerted the industry and state that the Conasauga River, which supplies drinking water, was polluted. That same year, Georgia's environmental director told carpet manufacturers the state would not take action on the chemicals. Subsequent state tests in 2012 and 2016 confirmed the contamination, but no public advisories were issued.
State Inaction Despite Warnings
Georgia's Environmental Protection Division (EPD) deflected efforts by neighboring Alabama and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to track the chemicals more closely. Even as PFAS migrated over 100 miles downriver into Alabama, Georgia regulators did not respond to requests for data. EPD Deputy Director Anna Truszczynski said the agency looked to federal regulators for guidance and waited for better scientific understanding of PFAS risks.
In 2008, EPD Director Carol Couch met privately with carpet industry representatives and assured them the agency had no plans to regulate PFAS. Couch later said PFAS were only an emerging concern and that EPA had not established drinking water standards. It would be another four years before EPD tested the Conasauga River.
Contamination Continues
Despite the carpet industry's claims that they stopped using PFAS in 2019, the chemicals remain in the water and soil. A major source of ongoing pollution is a land application system operated by Dalton Utilities at Loopers Bend, which sprays billions of gallons of treated wastewater onto soil each year. Design flaws have led to leaks and direct runoff into the Conasauga River.
In 2022, local riverkeeper Jesse Demonbreun-Chapman discovered that sludge from wastewater treatment, used as fertilizer on farms, was heavily contaminated with PFAS. The runoff tested thousands of times higher than federal drinking water standards. This evidence became key in a lawsuit that forced Calhoun to filter its water and stop spreading sludge.
Legal Battles and Legislative Pushback
Cities and counties face hundreds of millions of dollars in costs to filter drinking water. Some have sued carpet manufacturers and chemical suppliers. In response, some Georgia lawmakers introduced bills to shield carpet companies from liability, but those efforts failed amid public outcry. Environmental activist Erin Brockovich spoke at town halls, urging residents to demand accountability.
Other states like Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine have taken aggressive action, committing millions for cleanup and suing polluters. In contrast, Georgia has not regulated PFAS, leaving residents like Stormy Bost to wonder what health impacts lie ahead. “There’s a lot of us and we’re sick,” Bost said. “We don’t know what’s next.”
