PFAS Contamination

PFAS in Georgia Drinking Water

Ranked by number of PFAS compounds detected · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

195

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

19%

% Exceeds Limit

1.5 compounds

State Avg

▼ 2% vs national

vs National

299

Health Violations

Analysis

PFAS in Georgia: what the data shows

Georgia has 195 cities with PFAS monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 5 program. PFAS ("forever chemicals") were detected in 91 of those cities (47%), with a significant share of cities exceeding the EPA's 2024 maximum contaminant levels of 4 ppt. The state average is better than the national average. 37 cities exceed the EPA MCL for at least one PFAS compound. PFAS are linked to cancer, immune system disruption, and developmental issues. The 2024 EPA rule requires water systems exceeding the MCL to notify customers and reduce levels by 2029. PFAS data comes from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR 5), which required large water systems to test for 29 PFAS compounds between 2023–2025. Not all systems have completed testing — cities without data may still have PFAS present.

Comparison

Cities exceeding EPA MCL (4 ppt each)

Georgia

19%

37 of 195 cities

← ▼ 2% below national rate (better)

National avg

21%

1636 of 7745 cities

City Map

PFAS data across Georgia

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. PFAS-tested cities are shown; those exceeding the 4 ppt EPA MCL appear in red. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by pfas level in Georgia

Highest PFAS levels (compounds)

All Cities

All Georgia cities ranked by pfas level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Griffin	10 compounds	Yes	9	F
2	Morrow	9 compounds	Yes	1	B+
3	Senoia	9 compounds	Yes	5	C+
4	Columbus	8 compounds	Yes	0	B+
5	Jackson	8 compounds	Yes	18	D
6	Calhoun	8 compounds	Yes	1	B+
7	Chatsworth	8 compounds	Yes	3	C-
8	La Fayette	8 compounds	Yes	1	B
9	Augusta	7 compounds	Yes	31	F
10	Rome	7 compounds	Yes	3	B
11	Flintstone	7 compounds	Yes	0	B
12	East Point	7 compounds	Yes	5	B
13	Gray	7 compounds	Yes	1	D+
14	Trion	7 compounds	Yes	2	B-
15	Fayetteville	6 compounds	Yes	19	C
16	Dalton	6 compounds	Yes	0	B
17	Valdosta	6 compounds	Yes	78	F
18	Cataula	6 compounds	Yes	2	B
19	Woodstock	6 compounds	Yes	1	B+
20	Chickamauga	6 compounds	Yes	3	B
21	Talbotton	6 compounds	Yes	24	D
22	Winder	5 compounds	Yes	5	B+
23	La Grange	5 compounds	Yes	1	B+
24	Forsyth	5 compounds	Yes	16	C
25	Springfield	5 compounds	Yes	3	F
26	Fort Oglethorpe	5 compounds	Yes	4	B
27	Atlanta	4 compounds	No	21	F
28	Marietta	4 compounds	No	5	B+
29	Dallas	4 compounds	Yes	5	B
30	Cartersville	4 compounds	No	6	B
31	Port Wentworth	4 compounds	Yes	6	D+
32	Pooler	4 compounds	Yes	9	D+
33	Braselton	4 compounds	Yes	1	B
34	Mcdonough	4 compounds	Yes	1	B+
35	Barnesville	4 compounds	Yes	10	C
36	West Point	4 compounds	No	1	B+
37	Hapeville	4 compounds	Yes	3	B
38	Statham	4 compounds	No	3	B-
39	Covington	3 compounds	No	20	F
40	Roswell	3 compounds	No	10	F
41	Cochran	3 compounds	Yes	1	B-
42	Hampton	3 compounds	Yes	2	B-
43	Stockbridge	3 compounds	No	1	B+
44	Bremen	3 compounds	No	2	B+
45	Hogansville	3 compounds	No	6	B-
46	Albany	2 compounds	No	11	F
47	Conyers	2 compounds	No	14	D+
48	Ringgold	2 compounds	No	11	B-
49	Eatonton	2 compounds	No	121	F
50	Smyrna	2 compounds	No	0	B+
51	Watkinsville	2 compounds	No	66	F
52	Blairsville	2 compounds	Yes	11	F
53	Hartwell	2 compounds	No	53	F
54	Centerville	2 compounds	Yes	3	A
55	Palmetto	2 compounds	No	0	B
56	Cumming	1 compounds	No	30	F
57	Martinez	1 compounds	No	3	B-
58	Savannah	1 compounds	No	111	F
59	Kathleen	1 compounds	No	0	A-
60	Loganville	1 compounds	No	3	A
61	Brunswick	1 compounds	No	23	F
62	Waycross	1 compounds	No	7	C+
63	Tifton	1 compounds	No	6	C-
64	Perry	1 compounds	No	1	A
65	Jasper	1 compounds	No	5	B-
66	Monroe	1 compounds	No	4	B
67	Kingsland	1 compounds	No	12	B
68	Thomson	1 compounds	No	28	D
69	Thomaston	1 compounds	No	15	C+
70	St. Marys	1 compounds	No	8	B-
71	Moultrie	1 compounds	No	5	C-
72	Richmond Hill	1 compounds	No	4	B-
73	Fitzgerald	1 compounds	No	27	A-
74	Americus	1 compounds	No	35	F
75	Cleveland	1 compounds	No	15	F
76	Cairo	1 compounds	No	23	D
77	Tybee Island	1 compounds	No	1	B+
78	Sandersville	1 compounds	No	2	B
79	Austell	1 compounds	No	1	B+
80	Lincolnton	1 compounds	No	13	B-
81	Fort Stewart	1 compounds	No	0	A-
82	Waynesboro	1 compounds	No	1	B-
83	Folkston	1 compounds	No	4	A
84	Glennville	1 compounds	No	6	B+
85	Social Circle	1 compounds	No	3	B
86	Sylvania	1 compounds	No	6	B+
87	Blackshear	1 compounds	No	4	B-
88	Oglethorpe	1 compounds	No	0	A-
89	Claxton	1 compounds	No	6	D
90	Montezuma	1 compounds	No	1	A-
91	Patterson	1 compounds	No	1	A-
92	Decatur	0 compounds	No	0	B+
93	Alpharetta	0 compounds	No	4	F
94	Canton	0 compounds	No	5	B
95	Newnan	0 compounds	No	4	B
96	Gainesville	0 compounds	No	3	C+
97	Athens	0 compounds	No	52	F
98	Douglasville	0 compounds	No	0	A
99	Warner Robins	0 compounds	No	7	B-
100	Carrollton	0 compounds	No	14	C
101	Statesboro	0 compounds	No	50	F
102	Jefferson	0 compounds	No	8	C+
103	Milledgeville	0 compounds	No	33	D
104	Cedartown	0 compounds	No	4	B+
105	Thomasville	0 compounds	No	39	D
106	Hinesville	0 compounds	No	24	D
107	Dawsonville	0 compounds	No	11	B-
108	Toccoa	0 compounds	No	6	B+
109	Fort Stewart (U.S. Army)	0 compounds	No	6	A
110	Leesburg	0 compounds	No	7	C-
111	Union City	0 compounds	No	12	B-
112	Demorest	0 compounds	No	1	B+
113	Dublin	0 compounds	No	3	F
114	Bainbridge	0 compounds	No	17	D+
115	Rincon	0 compounds	No	14	F
116	Cordele	0 compounds	No	13	D
117	Trenton	0 compounds	No	1	B+
118	Ellijay	0 compounds	No	9	C+
119	Villa Rica	0 compounds	No	1	B-
120	Vidalia	0 compounds	No	48	D
121	Young Harris	0 compounds	No	0	A
122	Douglas	0 compounds	No	14	F
123	Dahlonega	0 compounds	No	10	F
124	Buchanan	0 compounds	No	12	C+
125	Fort Valley	0 compounds	No	0	A
126	Locust Grove	0 compounds	No	1	B+
127	Commerce	0 compounds	No	9	A-
128	Clayton	0 compounds	No	1	A-
129	Jesup	0 compounds	No	23	F
130	Auburn	0 compounds	No	11	F
131	Kings Bay (U.S. Navy)	0 compounds	No	7	B+
132	Byron	0 compounds	No	0	B+
133	Garden City	0 compounds	No	4	B+
134	Swainsboro	0 compounds	No	4	C-
135	Eastman	0 compounds	No	2	A
136	Camilla	0 compounds	No	3	B-
137	Buford	0 compounds	No	0	B+
138	Monticello	0 compounds	No	25	D+
139	Homer	0 compounds	No	10	C+
140	Blue Ridge	0 compounds	No	15	D
141	Lavonia	0 compounds	No	1	A-
142	Franklin	0 compounds	No	11	B-
143	Elberton	0 compounds	No	1	D+
144	Hawkinsville	0 compounds	No	8	A-
145	Mcrae	0 compounds	No	2	A+
146	Adairsville	0 compounds	No	2	A
147	Buena Vista	0 compounds	No	17	F
148	Sylvester	0 compounds	No	5	A-
149	Hephzibah	0 compounds	No	11	F
150	Mccaysville	0 compounds	No	1	A+
151	Carnesville	0 compounds	No	47	D
152	Madison	0 compounds	No	5	B
153	Millen	0 compounds	No	2	A-
154	Washington	0 compounds	No	11	B+
155	Bowdon	0 compounds	No	11	B
156	Cornelia	0 compounds	No	2	B
157	Blakely	0 compounds	No	7	C-
158	Adel	0 compounds	No	0	A
159	Quitman	0 compounds	No	15	B-
160	Baxley	0 compounds	No	0	A-
161	Clarkesville	0 compounds	No	0	A
162	Hazlehurst	0 compounds	No	7	C+
163	Temple	0 compounds	No	3	B
164	Hiawassee	0 compounds	No	0	A
165	Manchester	0 compounds	No	11	B+
166	Moody Afb	0 compounds	No	2	A-
167	Louisville	0 compounds	No	2	B+
168	Ashburn	0 compounds	No	0	A-
169	Lyons	0 compounds	No	32	D
170	Dawson	0 compounds	No	3	A-
171	Metter	0 compounds	No	5	B
172	Tallapoosa	0 compounds	No	0	A-
173	Nashville	0 compounds	No	3	A
174	East Dublin	0 compounds	No	4	A
175	Sparta	0 compounds	No	4	D
176	Cave Spring	0 compounds	No	2	A
177	Rockmart	0 compounds	No	0	A
178	Lumpkin	0 compounds	No	6	F
179	Reidsville	0 compounds	No	4	C-
180	Alma	0 compounds	No	1	B+
181	Baldwin	0 compounds	No	3	A-
182	Pelham	0 compounds	No	10	C-
183	Walthourville	0 compounds	No	1	D
184	Unadilla	0 compounds	No	4	A-
185	Hahira	0 compounds	No	36	D
186	Wrightsville	0 compounds	No	5	A-
187	Alamo	0 compounds	No	8	A
188	Cuthbert	0 compounds	No	5	B
189	Vienna	0 compounds	No	0	A-
190	Lake Park	0 compounds	No	176	F
191	Ball Ground	0 compounds	No	1	A-
192	Townsend	0 compounds	No	12	F
193	Newington	0 compounds	No	2	F
194	Ty Ty	0 compounds	No	0	A
195	Franklin Springs	0 compounds	No	0	B

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about pfas in Georgia

Does Georgia tap water contain PFAS?

PFAS were detected in 91 of 195 Georgia cities tested under EPA's UCMR 5 program. 37 cities exceed the 2024 EPA MCL of 4 ppt for individual PFAS compounds.

How can I remove PFAS from my drinking water in Georgia?

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are the most effective at removing PFAS, typically removing 90%+ of compounds. High-quality activated carbon block filters (NSF 58-certified for RO, or NSF 53 for solid carbon) also provide significant reduction. Standard pitcher filters vary widely in PFAS removal.

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