An analysis of water-monitoring records identified 11 PFAS compounds across four Chattahoochee River locations, adding to concerns about persistent chemicals in Georgia waterways.
The findings concern river water and do not establish PFAS levels in treated drinking water supplied to Alpharetta or Milton.
The Environment Georgia Research and Policy Center report, published Oct. 13, compiled testing data collected between 2022 and 2024. PFAS were detected at all 20 Georgia locations included in the analysis, WSB-TV reported Oct. 20.
Nationally, the analysis found at least one PFAS detection at 1,329 of 1,602 monitored surface-water locations, or about 83%. The authors cautioned that the records cover only part of the testing conducted nationwide and leave many waterways unexamined.
PFAS, short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals used in products including some water-resistant fabrics and nonstick coatings. Their resistance to breaking down has earned them the nickname “forever chemicals.”
Research has associated exposure to certain PFAS with reproductive problems, weakened immune responses and increased risks of some cancers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The potential effects depend on the chemical and the amount and duration of exposure.
Jason Ulseth, executive director of Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, told WSB-TV that additional research is needed to understand what the river’s contamination means for fish and people who eat them.
The Chattahoochee supplies more than 70% of metro Atlanta’s drinking water, according to Chattahoochee Riverkeeper. Fulton County draws from the river and treats water at the Tom Lowe Atlanta-Fulton County Water Treatment Plant in Johns Creek for customers in Alpharetta, Milton, Johns Creek and Roswell.
The county’s 2026 Consumer Confidence Report, which primarily presents 2025 monitoring results, says its drinking water meets state and federal health standards. It does not specifically discuss PFAS results or treatment.
The river analysis does not resolve that gap: it provides no assessment of PFAS concentrations in the county’s finished drinking water.
Environment Georgia identified several routes through which PFAS can reach waterways, including industrial wastewater, sewage-treatment discharges and runoff from farmland fertilized with contaminated sewage sludge.
The organization urged policymakers to phase out PFAS uses, prevent industrial releases, stop spreading PFAS-contaminated sludge on farmland and expand water monitoring.
