Georgia Water Contamination Lawsuit [2025 Update]

The Georgia Water Contamination Lawsuit is an active lawsuit

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Georgia is home to expansive water resources. However, decades of pollution and contamination have caused widespread problems for local water supplies and residents. Many of the contaminants found in Georgia’s drinking water can lead to serious illnesses.

For example, the presence of PFAS (forever chemicals), lead, chloroform, and other contaminants in Georgia’s water is deeply concerning for residents. Over the years, the state’s response to these challenges has been mixed. As a result, many people have suffered adverse health effects related to the contaminated water. In an effort to recoup compensation for their losses, many people in Georgia have filed lawsuits against the companies who polluted their water supplies.

Georgia Water Contamination Lawsuit Overview

Georgia’s economy is supported by various ventures, including agriculture, fishing, and manufacturing. The state is also home to numerous military installations for multiple branches of the armed forces. Georgia is also home to major water bodies like Lake Lanier and the Savannah, Altamaha, Oconee, Ocmulgee, and Chattahoochee Rivers.

While water has helped make Georgia an important commerce hub, many industries and activities have polluted water sources. Water contamination in Georgia has resulted from:

• Runoff from the agricultural industry has caused fertilizer and pesticide chemicals to permeate the environment.
• Major manufacturers have contributed PFAS and other chemicals to major water supplies. The state is home to one of the largest carpet manufacturing industries in America, as well as industrial giants like 3M and DuPont who frequently use PFAS.
• Booming data centers consume massive amounts of water and pollute local resources.
• Military bases have contributed to PFAS contamination through toxic firefighting foams.

In many cases, contaminants from these activities have permeated surface and groundwater supplies, as well as soil. This contamination has leached into many public water supplies, and treatment efforts do not always make the water safe to drink.

In recent years, the presence of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), in Georgia’s water supplies has been a growing concern. Exposure to PFAS through drinking water can cause multiple illnesses, including cancer, thyroid disease, and ulcerative colitis. PFAS contamination is a particular threat in North Georgia, near the Coosa and Tennessee basins. PFAS and multiple other contaminants present threats to consumers.

Timeline of Water Contamination in Georgia | 2025 Update

July 2025: Water samples taken from areas in Northwest Georgia are found to greatly exceed PFAS limits set by the EPA. For example, the Augusta area recorded levels at 1175% over the EPA’s minimum reporting levels, Calhoun over 625%, and Morrow over 112.5%. Levels are so high that famed reporter Erin Brockovich attended town hall meetings in Chatsworth and Calhoun, where pollution to water systems was discussed.

June 2025: Preliminary findings in a study of Calhoun and Rome, GA residents found excessive levels of PFAS chemicals far in excess of that of the general population.

June 2025: North Georgia families sue major manufacturers and chemical makers like Shaw Industries, Mohawk Industries and 3M for contaminating local water supplies with PFAS.

April 2025: The U.S. EPA announced a new PFAS action plan to assemble a better strategy toward combating these chemicals in community water supplies.

February 2025: The City of Savannah sues PFAS polluters for funds to pay for the added treatment needed to remove these chemicals. The city filed a lawsuit in Chatham County Superior Court. The lawsuit was filed against 65 PFAS companies, including paper mills and those who made carpets and chemicals.

January 2025: Legislation is filed in Georgia to shield certain companies that handle PFAS from liability from lawsuits in certain conditions. The legislation has not been enacted as of July 2025.

October 2024: The EPA finalizes lead and copper improvement rules. The rules require public drinking water systems to identify and remove remaining lead pipes within 10 years and take other protective measures.

August 2024: In an effort to address PFAS and other emerging contaminants in drinking water, the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) awarded grant funding totaling $30,500,000 to five Georgia counties.

August 2024: Georgia receives more than $1.1 million from the EPA as part of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to remove lead piping from schoolchildren’s water supplies.

August 2024: As a result of a landmark PFAS settlement, the City of Calhoun, GA, agrees to begin treating its water for PFAS chemicals.

April 2024: The EPA announces its first-ever legal limits on PFAS chemicals.

November 2023: The EPA proposes strict rules requiring most cities to remove lead pipes from drinking water supplies within the next ten years.

September 2023: In an effort to educate the public on the potential impacts of PFAS, the Georgia Environmental Protection Division (EPD) launches a PFAS StoryMap.

2021: The Georgia Environmental Protection Division announces a new PFAS monitoring initiative to assess the levels of PFAS in state water supplies. Initial monitoring takes place in the Coosa and Tennessee basins.

January 2019: The Harvard School of Public Health and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution report on extensive groundwater contamination surrounding Georgia’s military bases.

About the Georgia Water Contamination Lawsuit

Sources of Water Contamination in Georgia

Multiple sources may contribute to Georgia’s water contamination. Natural toxins like arsenic may enter the water supply naturally. However, a variety of human-made contributors also play a role.

• Manufacturers may work with potentially harmful chemicals like PFAS in their normal processes. For years, companies discharged high levels of PFAS directly into waterbodies and sewers.
• Georgia is home to a large agricultural industry, and many producers use significant amounts of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The refuse from these fertilizers can contaminate rivers, streams, and groundwater.
• Many older homes and public water systems in the state once heavily used lead piping. Lead flakes from these degrading pipes can easily enter water.
• Various Georgia military bases pervasively use materials containing PFAS and other contaminants. One of the most notable is a firefighting foam called AFFF. These toxic chemicals pose risks to those exposed to them and to the surrounding water. Despite efforts to scale back on the presence of such toxins on military sites, historical use is still impacting water quality in many areas of Georgia.
• A massive growth in data centers has fueled significant concerns about overuse of water resources and contamination of local supplies.

Water Contamination From Industrial and Manufacturing Sites

Georgia is home to multiple industrial operations that have polluted water supplies across the state. Some of the biggest offenders are:

• The DuPont E I De Nemours & Co in Augusta, GA (a SUPERFUND site)
• DuPont and 3M operations near Rome, GA (which resulted in a $100 million settlement)
• Carpet factories around Dalton, GA, (the Carpet Capital of the World) treated flooring with PFAS

These facilities and many others have released harmful chemicals into air, water, and soil. This contamination can migrate and affect drinking water supplies.

Water Contamination From Military Installations

The extensive use of PFAS and other chemicals on Georgia’s military installations makes them significant contributors to local environmental contamination. The state is home to bases for all branches of the armed services, including:

• Camp Merrill (Dahlonega)
• Clay National Guard Center
• Fort McPherson
• Fort Gordon
• Gillem Annex
• Winder-Barrow County Airfield
• Robins AFB
• Fort Benning
• Albany Marine Corps Logistics Base
• Moody AFB
• Kings Bay Navy Submarine Base
• Fort Stewart
• Hunter Army Air Field
• Georgia Garrison Training Center
• Savannah International Airport (Georgia Air National Guard)

PFAS contamination has been suspected or confirmed at all of these locations. The EPA has set maximum contamination levels of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for certain PFAS chemicals (PFOA and PFOS) and 10 ppt for others (PFNA, PFHxS, and HFPO-DA (GenX)). Testing in and around these bases has detected levels of these chemicals far in excess of the recommendations. For example:

• Fort Benning: 13,000 ppt (PFOS), 1,200 ppt (PFOA)
• Robins AFB: 52,000 ppt (PFOA), 250,000 ppt (PFOS)
• Moody AFB: 55,000 ppt (PFOA), 320,000 ppt (PFOS)
• Camp Merrill: 22,000 ppt (PFOS), 970 ppt (PFOA)
• Kings Bay NSB: 881 ppt (PFOA), 41,000 (PFOS)

The high levels of PFAS in the surrounding water supplies is likely due to the use of AFFF firefighting foam in military activities. These foams spread easily and contaminate groundwater supplies. Although the military has decreased the use of these foams, much of the environmental and human harm has already been done.

Georgia’s Regulations for Drinking Water

Georgia’s drinking water rules and regulations are a mix of public, state, and federal efforts. Georgia’s water is subject to the rules and requirements established by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), and other federal legislation. The state establishes (and routinely revises and updates) safe drinking water standards. These regulations are then approved in cooperation with the USEPA. The state is also conducting a triennial water safety standard review in 2025. In line with EPA requirements, the state must monitor their water for the presence of PFAS. In 2024, the state Environmental Protection Authority awarded more than $30 million in grants to five Georgia Counties—Calhoun, Clayton, Chatsworth, Summerville and Tennille—to combat PFAS and other contaminants.

Unfortunately for Georgia residents, the actual requirement to meet the EPA’s new minimum contaminant levels does not take effect until 2031. Moreover, legislation—the PFAS Receiver Shield Act— has been proposed at the state level to protect certain companies from PFAS lawsuits.

Contaminants Found in Georgia’s Drinking Water

Georgia’s drinking water is known to contain various contaminants, notably PFAS, lead, chloroform, and uranium. Public water is routinely filtered and sanitized before being piped to consumers. However, these toxins may remain in the water even after processing. That is because lead may enter the water near someone’s home, after the water is processed. PFAS may not be removed during the water treatment process. At high or sustained levels, these contaminants can be detrimental to the consumer’s health.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

PFAS is the name for a group of chemicals known for their extreme durability and persistence in the environment. They are used in everything from firefighting foams to commercial cleaners, cooking pans, and food packaging. PFAS are very resistant to water, heat, cold and oil, which is why they are often called “forever chemicals.” They can remain in water supplies and in the human body for extremely long periods. As a result, they may pose substantial health risks to consumers.

If someone consumed PFAS in Georgia’s water, these chemicals may remain in their body for many years. Moreover, even if they consumed only small amounts of the chemicals at a time, PFAS may build up in someone’s body over many years (given their resistance to breaking down). This accumulation may put a person at risk of multiple health issues, including organ damage, immune system damage, various cancers, thyroid problems, and ulcerative colitis.

Lead

Although lead is a naturally occurring mineral, it can be harmful to humans. Large doses or extended exposure to this metal can cause multiple illnesses, birth defects, problems with pregnancy and cancer in adults and children.

While lead can enter water supplies through natural means—such as stormwater runoff—one of the most significant causes of lead in Georgia’s water is old lead piping. Plumbing systems once used lead pipes in abundance. Lead was only banned from use in most new construction projects starting in the 1980s. However, replacing lead pipes laid before the ban went into effect is an ongoing effort, even in 2025. According to the National Resources Defense Council, Georgia has one of the most significant lead pipe problems in the nation, with more than 234,000 service lines estimated to remain. The state maintains a Lead Service Line Replacement Program, although funding for the program varies. In August 2024, the Biden administration provided more than $1 million in federal funding to help combat lead in Georgia schoolchildren’s drinking water. This was followed by the release of more than $67 million in additional federal funding in October 2024, under the Bipartisan Infrastructure law.

Chloroform

Many water treatment facilities in Georgia use chlorine to disinfect and purify their water. However, when those chemicals enter the water as part of the sanitization process, certain byproducts may form. Chloroform is one of these byproducts, and it belongs to a class of chemicals known as total trihalomethanes (TTHMs).

Exposure to chloroform may increase individuals’ risk of cancer, problems with pregnancy, nervous system damage, and other issues. Although most purification byproducts are filtered out of the water during the purification process, some may remain. Chloroform in excess of health guidelines has been detected in Georgia water systems.

Uranium

Uranium is a volatile and radioactive substance. It is highly regulated and subject to strict legal limits in drinking water. Unfortunately, it has been detected in Georgia water systems. This element is a known carcinogen and may cause organ damage, along with a host of other harmful issues.

Current Water Quality in Georgia

Georgia’s drinking water must comply with all federally mandated safety standards as set by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA), the Clean Water Act (CWA), and various other regulations.

However, many of the standards set by the SDWA and CWA only minimize (not eliminate) the presence of chemicals in water. Many of these standards have also not been updated in several decades. Additionally, while the EPA routinely issues guidance on drinking water standards, many of these orders are non-binding. Others, like the recommended minimum contaminant levels for PFAS chemicals, are not due to take effect for several years, leaving ample time for continued accumulation.

Water Treatment Efforts in Georgia

Although Georgia’s water treatment and protection efforts must comply with federal guidelines, the state leaves the vast majority of its water management and conservation efforts to local authorities and municipalities.

Given the vastly different water protection needs of urban and rural communities lying in different parts of the state, water protection processes vary. As of 2025, many do not yet effectively address the presence of lead pipes or PFAS, which may continue to threaten the safety of consumers. However, there have been notable wins, such as a 2025 legal settlement that required the city of Calhoun, Georgia, to begin treating their water for PFAS chemicals.

Health Risks and Symptoms Linked to Drinking Water in Georgia

The presence of PFAS, lead, and other contaminants in Georgia’s drinking water can pose a wide array of health risks, such as:

• Birth defects
• Bladder cancer
• Breast cancer
• Changes in liver enzymes
• Decreased vaccine effectiveness
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Kidney cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver cancer
• Lowered immune response
• Male breast cancer
• Multiple myeloma
• Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Reproductive issues
• Testicular cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Thyroid disease
• Ulcerative colitis

Had consumers not been exposed to these contaminants, the harm they sustained might not have occurred. Therefore, many are choosing to seek compensation for their losses. If you’re one of them, you might qualify to file a water contamination lawsuit in Georgia.

Eligibility Criteria for the Georgia Water Contamination Lawsuit

Those wishing to file a water contamination lawsuit in Georgia must meet certain criteria:

• Duration of Exposure: You must have lived or worked in Georgia for a certain period of time (and during a period of water contamination) to file a lawsuit. Generally, the minimum duration of exposure is about six months to one year, depending on whether or not you lived on or near a military base.
• Specific Diagnoses: King Law is currently accepting water contamination lawsuits from those with a diagnosis of:

• Kidney Cancer
• Liver Cancer
• Testicular Cancer
• Thyroid Cancer
• Thyroid Disease
• Ulcerative Colitis

• Supporting Documents: You will need to provide documentation to support your case. These may include medical records proving your diagnosis, military records, and proof of residence in Georgia (e.g., utility bills, lease agreements, employment records).

By proving that you have received a diagnosis related to water contamination and showing that you lived in Georgia during a period of contamination, you’ll lay the groundwork for a successful lawsuit. A knowledgeable team of attorneys can guide you on the path to pursue your case. Many cases result in a financial settlement between the plaintiffs and the parties you’re suing. However, if a settlement is not reached, the case will go to trial, where a judge or jury will determine what (if any) financial reward you’re entitled to.

Georgia Water Contamination Settlement and Payout Amounts

Many Georgia water contamination lawsuits settle before they go to trial. To settle, your attorney will negotiate with the defendants from whom you are seeking compensation. They will work to determine a suitable dollar amount to repay you for your losses.

Many water contamination lawsuits in Georgia may settle in the range of $30,000 – $300,000. A number of factors may influence the final settlement you receive. For example, younger people who sustained lifelong illnesses may receive higher dollar amounts because of the long-term financial assistance they require. Those with severe illnesses may also receive higher settlements because of their significant medical needs.

If your case does go to trial, it may result in a higher settlement than a negotiated settlement. However, the risk of going to trial is that you also have a chance of being awarded nothing by a judge or jury. Your attorneys will work with you to determine the best course of action for your case.

How to File a Georgia Water Contamination Lawsuit

There is a specific process to filing a Georgia water contamination lawsuit. If you do not appropriately follow these steps and adhere to legal guidelines, you run the risk of your case failing. The professional guidance of your attorney will come in handy in this process.

• Initial Consultation: This is your first meeting with your attorney’s team, who understands water contamination and environmental cases. They will gather preliminary information about your case to determine if you qualify for a case.
• Evidence Gathering: You and your attorneys will work to compile evidence to support your case. This may include medical records, proof of residence in Georgia, military records, environmental reports, and other evidence of water contamination in your area.
• Legal Filing: Your attorney will work to draw up the appropriate legal documents and file them with the court. The legal filing will outline your claims of harm from water contamination and explain the compensation you seek.
• Pre-Trial Procedures: There are many small steps before your case goes to trial. Pre-trial procedures may involve further evidence gathering, questioning, depositions, and discovery (where both sides exchange information).
• Settlement Negotiations: Your attorney will work with the defendants in the case to negotiate a settlement and potentially avoid a trial. Cases may settle for various amounts.
• Trial: If the parties in the case cannot reach a settlement, the case will go before a judge and jury. Either side can appeal a ruling.

This is a simplified version of the timeline of a Georgia water contamination lawsuit. The actual legal process is usually more complicated and will likely take a minimum of several months to more than a year to complete.

Evidence to Support Your GA Water Contamination Claim:

Gathering appropriate evidence is an essential part of any water contamination lawsuit. Generally speaking, the stronger your evidence, the more likely your claim will succeed. The precise evidence you need may vary, although it is common for the following to be included in your lawsuit:

• Proof of residence in Georgia during a period of water contamination. Most people will need to have lived or worked in Georgia for at least one year (or been stationed at a contaminated military base for 6 months).
• Environmental reports outlining the presence of water contamination in the area.
• Medical records outlining the extent of your illness or injuries.
• Receipts and medical records proving medical bills, lost income, and other financial burdens you’ve sustained as a result of your exposure to water contamination.
• Personal statements outlining the impact of your injuries on you and your family.

Statute of Limitations for Georgia Water Contamination Claims

Many water contamination lawsuits are subject to statutes of limitations. If you do not file your lawsuit before the statute passes, you will not be able to file later. In Georgia, this is generally two years from your date of diagnosis with a contamination-related illness. However, statutes of limitations can vary, and your precise timeline may be shorter or longer than the two-year standard. For example, if you only learned recently that PFAS might have caused your cancer, you may still be able to file a case. It is important to begin pursuing your claim as soon as possible following your diagnosis.

Georgia Water Contamination Lawyers

Water contamination in Georgia is an ongoing problem, despite efforts to address contamination from toxins like PFAS. For many, however, the damage has already been done. If you believe you have been harmed as a result of PFAS in your drinking water, the attorneys at King Law are ready to assist you in seeking compensation. Get in touch with us today for your free, no-obligation consultation and get your case started. If you are eligible to file a lawsuit, you only pay us if you are awarded compensation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Learn more about water contamination in Georgia with answers to these frequently asked questions: