The City of Savannah has filed a lawsuit against more than 60 industrial chemical manufacturers and users, including at least 20 companies in the Augusta area, accusing them of contaminating its water supply with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals.”
Filed last month by Savannah’s mayor and aldermen, the suit contends the numerous companies knowingly discharged PFAS into sources of Savannah’s drinking water, sometimes for decades, despite being aware of environmental risks.
PFAS are a group of toxic, manmade chemicals used in nonstick, water-repellent, fire-retardant and industrial products. The compounds don’t break down in nature and are linked at certain levels to reproductive and developmental effects and risks of certain cancers.
The EPA issued the first drinking water standards for PFAS chemicals last year. It requires water systems to provide the public with information about PFAS levels starting in 2027. Public water systems have until 2029 to reduce PFAS levels if monitoring shows the levels are too high. Augusta posts water quality reports on the city website.
Savannah’s lawsuit names alleged current and former PFAS manufacturers and users across Georgia and South Carolina, identifying them as sources of contamination in the city’s drinking water.
Among the defendants with Augusta facilities include Solvay Specialty Polymers, Columbia Nitrogen, Augusta Liquidations, Envalior, Covestro, Augusta Graphic Packaging, Industrial Metal Finishing, Prayon, Qualawash, Sterling and Kemira Water Solutions. Defendants with Beech Island facilities include Allnex, Kimberly-Clark and Halocarbon. Other defendants are in Langley, Aiken, Graniteville and Edgefield.
Savannah argues that its current water treatment facilities cannot effectively remove PFAS and seeks damages to cover the cost of removing them. It also calls for the defendants to prevent further contamination.
Meanwhile, efforts to limit liability for PFAS users failed to advance in the state legislature. House Bill 211, which sought to shield companies that purchase and use PFAS rather than manufacture them, did not pass by Crossover Day.
