Augusta Receives $3.7M for PFAS Study as Water Sample Exceeds Federal Limit

Augusta Utilities secured $3.7 million to investigate ways to cut PFAS concentrations after tests at Bush Field's plant revealed contamination 10.9 times higher than the EPA's new threshold. A herbicide used locally appears to be the source.

Federal data confirmed the sample surpassed the EPA's PFOS standard, which tracks one type of forever chemical. Authorities insist the water stays safe under existing state and federal rules.

"We're in state and federal compliance with the water that we have now. I drink it," said Wes Byne, director of Augusta Utilities, per WRDW.

Byne said his team will keep pushing to hit the standards and eliminate these chemicals. "The risk to this is extremely low," he said.

For years, the utility has examined ways to lower trace amounts of PFAS. Compliance demands costly treatment systems at the plant.

Proper treatment would require a treatment train at the site. Customer bills would jump 7% to 8% to address this problem, making it impractical.

Tonya Bonitatibus, director with Savannah Riverkeeper, thinks action will come soon. "Do I think that behind the scenes, there are moves to make sure that the water is going to get to a place where it needs to be in the next couple of years? Yes, I also don't think they're going to have a choice," said Bonitatibus.

Bonitatibus stressed that bigger talks on economic development must happen. She pointed to decades of chemical operations in the region.

The Riverkeeper is launching a local study using Cyclopure to test systems for PFOS concentrations. Some groups are testing for the chemicals on their own and say more changes might be necessary.