Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

You may have heard about PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," because they do not readily break down in the natural environment and can build up over time. PFAS are a large group of chemicals used since the 1940s in common household and commercial products. Their manufacturing and use have introduced PFAS into the human environment in multiple ways. According to the Water Research Foundation and because they were (and still are) used in so many everyday products, most people in the United States and other industrialized countries have likely already been exposed to PFAS.

You can learn more about what PFAS are and the ways that you can be exposed to them from the following resources:

• Georgia Department of Public Health
• USEPA
• Water Research Foundation
• SCDHEC

According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA): "Current scientific research suggests that exposure to certain PFAS may lead to adverse health outcomes. However, research is still ongoing to determine how different levels of exposure to different PFAS can lead to a variety of health effects." USEPA also states that: "There are thousands of PFAS chemicals, and they are found in many different consumer, commercial, and industrial products. This makes it challenging to study and assess the potential human health and environmental risks". Below are links to health-related information on PFAS:

• USEPA (General)
• USEPA (Technical)
• GAEPD

For about ten years, Federal and State regulators have been investigating PFAS chemicals by gathering data and compiling scientific studies on health impacts and treatment strategies. Starting in 2016, the USEPA started releasing non-enforceable lifetime health advisory (LHA) levels for certain PFAS chemicals and subsequently issued updates to those levels. In March 2023, the USEPA set a non-enforceable proposed maximum contaminant level (MCL) for some PFAS chemicals. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division (GAEPD) has followed the USEPA guidance as seen in the following websites:

• USEPA (PFAS)
• GAEPD

Sharing Information with our Customers

The City will post data to our website on PFAS chemicals in our drinking water as they become available. Recently, the USEPA selected the City of Garden City to participate in the Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Regulation 5 (UCMR-5) program, which began in January 2023. Garden City's designated sampling period will occur in February and August 2025.

• USEPA UCMR-5 Program

Coordinating with Local, State, and Federal Regulators

City of Garden City representatives are in regular contact with the City of Savannah, GAEPD, and USEPA representatives to share data and stay current on developments regarding PFAS data and the evolving regulatory environment related to PFAS. For more information on the City of Savannah's water quality data and to learn more about the presence of PFAS in the Savannah River watershed, see the following website:

• City of Savannah

PFAS chemicals have a widespread presence. Reducing your health risks from PFAS involves addressing multiple pathways of exposure. The links below can help you know how to reduce the risk of exposure from all these sources:

• Georgia Department of Public Health
• EPA (Overall Exposure)
• EPA (Home Water Treatment Technologies)