Chemicals in the Conasauga

The Environmental Protection Division may be testing drinking water sources across the state for a chemical used to make stain resistant carpet; this comes after a study that found high levels of the man-made chemical in a north Georgia river.

For two years, University of Georgia scientists have been monitoring the Conasauga River for traces of a chemical called PFOA likely to cause cancer. They found it in very high amounts.

The river surrounds a wastewater treatment site where millions of gallons of water containing PFOA are sprayed. It is supposed to break down in the soil, but the study shows it doesn’t.

In response to the study, the EPD could begin testing this summer for the chemical in lakes across Georgia. Liz Booth monitors rivers and streams for the EPD. Booth said, "One of our engineers came down and talked to us about this article and concern with elevated PFOA’s in the Conesauga River, and we do have supplemental money that we can use to monitor sediment in lakes of drinking water intakes."

The testing does not include rivers in the Conasauga system, however. Scientists said the water flowing downstream of the river should be tested and not to eat fish coming out of those waters.