The city of Savannah, Georgia, passed a resolution to better protect drinking water.
The city relies on Abercorn Creek as its primary source of drinking water, but certain pollutants are reportedly threatening the water supply.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released National Primary Drinking Water Regulation (NPDWR) to establish levels for six Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water.
At the time of the EPA release, readings in the Abercorn Creek watershed were above the Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) of PFAS in the water. The water would need special filtration to remove the contaminants to meet the EPA NPDWR guidelines.
The city plans to pursue legal action against manufacturers, distributors and others who have polluted the waterways with contaminants. The city states that they have taken a substantial financial and societal burden due to this public health crisis and will incur costs for this nuisance and environmental impairment into the foreseeable future.
According to the city’s resolution, the city is already experiencing and expects to be further burdened by increased demands for drinking water supply due to projected economic growth.
The projected growth further underscores the importance of cleaning up drinking water and holding the initial polluters accountable.
