A Georgia utility facing lawsuits for allegedly polluting the main drinking water supply for communities downstream will receive federal funds to test methods for removing so-called “forever chemicals” from wastewater it receives to treat.
Dalton Utilities — which provides gas, electric and water service for the city of Dalton and several counties in the heart of the state’s flooring industry — will get just over $1.5 million in grant money to conduct its pilot study, set to run through October 2026.
The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed by President Biden in 2021, which earmarked $1 billion for states to clean up “emerging contaminants,” like forever chemicals, in their waterways. Dalton Utilities is receiving all of the money allocated to Georgia by the law for fiscal year 2023.
Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS — short for polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances — have been used for years in a range of everyday products, from nonstick pans and clothing to carpets and food wrappers.
The chemicals’ name comes from their resistance to heat, water and oils, making them difficult to remove once they enter the environment. PFAS have been linked to a number of serious health conditions, including cancers, immune system suppression, high cholesterol and stunted infant and fetal growth.
Dalton Utilities’ receives wastewater from residential and industrial customers, as well as flooring manufacturing facilities located in the region. The carpet industry has used PFAS chemicals for years to add water- and stain-resistance to its products.
Lawsuits filed by the city of Rome and a resident claim that Dalton Utilities’ current wastewater treatment methods do not remove PFAS chemicals. They also allege that a vast sprinkler system the utility uses to spray treated wastewater on the land has fouled rivers that supply drinking water to Rome and other cities downstream.
The city of Rome is building a new, $100 million reverse-osmosis water treatment plant to remove PFAS from its drinking water and has raised residents’ water bills to cover the cost. Rome is seeking to hold Dalton Utilities, plus several chemical and flooring manufacturers, responsible for paying for the plant, plus other damages.
According to a proposal submitted to Georgia environmental regulators, Dalton Utilities’ study will test five different PFAS-removal technologies and three techniques for destroying the chemicals once they’re separated from water.
Dalton Utilities’ spokeswoman Kay Phillips declined to answer several questions about why it is conducting the pilot, citing the ongoing litigation.
However, its proposal said the size of Dalton Utilities’ treatment facility and the potential for PFAS contaminants in wastewater made it an “ideal candidate” for the study. The utility added that if it proves successful, the pilot could deliver a “positive impact to a sizeable watershed.” The utility made no mention of the lawsuits against it, stating only that it operates an “award-winning wastewater treatment operation.”
Officials with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD), which reviewed the utility’s plans, and the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA), which awarded the funds, did not immediately respond to a question about the utility’s eligibility for funding, in light of the lawsuits.
An EPD assessment of the project says the testing will not “have a significant effect on the quality of the human environment.”
The grant funding comes amid a push by the Biden administration to address PFAS pollution around the country.
In the coming weeks, the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to propose highly anticipated, new drinking-water standards for perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), two “forever chemicals” linked to a host of health conditions. Manufacturers have stopped using the two chemicals, but their resistance to breakdown in nature means they can remain in the environment for decades.
The federal government is also doling out billions of dollars to states to remove PFAS from drinking water. Last month, the EPA announced Georgia would receive over $54 million to clean up drinking water in communities whose supplies are tainted by forever chemicals. The recipients of that funding have not been announced yet.
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