Georgia awards $34.3 million for drinking water upgrades and PFAS treatment
The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority has awarded more than $34.3 million in grant funding to 16 communities to support drinking water infrastructure upgrades and address PFAS and other emerging contaminants.
Funding is being distributed through multiple federal programs, including the Small, Underserved, and Disadvantaged Communities (SUDC) Grant Program, the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Program, and emerging contaminants funding through both the Drinking Water and Clean Water State Revolving Funds.
Under the SUDC program, six communities will share $2.1 million to improve compliance with the Safe Drinking Water Act. Projects include new wells, booster pump systems, and chemical feed and treatment facilities in communities such as Byromville, Damascus, Doerun, Ephesus, Hahira, and Lexington.
The largest share of funding—$19.4 million—comes through the EC-SDC program, targeting PFAS and other emerging contaminants. Utilities in Augusta-Richmond County, Ringgold, Summerville, Talbot County, Tennille, and White will use the funds for pilot testing and installation of treatment technologies, as well as new well construction and plant upgrades.
An additional $9.2 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund’s emerging contaminants allocation will support projects in Chatsworth, Dalton, Gray, and Harris County. These efforts focus primarily on pilot testing and implementation of PFAS treatment technologies. Notably, the Chatsworth Water Works Commission will receive $6.8 million to advance PFAS remediation at its drinking water plant.
The Clean Water State Revolving Fund will provide $3.6 million to Dalton Utilities for pilot testing technologies aimed at the pre-treatment, removal, and destruction of PFAS in wastewater.
The funding is backed by federal programs including the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act, reflecting continued investment in addressing emerging contaminants and improving water system resilience in smaller and underserved communities.