Ten Georgia communities awarded $32.2 million in grant funding for projects to address emerging contaminants

The Georgia Environmental Finance Authority (GEFA) has awarded $32,230,000 in grant funding to 10 communities to address exposure to PFAS and other emerging contaminants in public drinking water and wastewater systems. These grants are made available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).

The grants include:

• $18.5 million in grant funding to six communities through the Emerging Contaminants in Small or Disadvantaged Communities (EC-SDC) Program,
• $9.2 million in grant funding to four communities through the Emerging Contaminants Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (EC-DW), and
• $3.6 million in grant funding to one community through the Emerging Contaminants Clean Water State Revolving Fund (EC-CW).

Awarded grants:

• Augusta-Richmond County awarded a $3,720,000 EC-SDC grant
• Chatsworth Water Works Commission awarded a $6,837,000 EC-DW grant
• Dalton Utilities awarded a $3,596,000 EC-CW grant and a $1,370,000 EC-DW grant
• Gray awarded a $400,000 EC-DW grant
• Harris County awarded a $627,000 EC-DW grant
• Ringgold awarded a $2,580,000 EC-SDC grant
• Summerville awarded a $4,500,000 EC-SDC grant
• Talbot County Board of Commissioners awarded a $4,300,000 EC-SDC grant
• Tennille awarded a $2,500,000 EC-SDC grant
• White awarded a $1,800,000 EC-SDC grant

Project and grant details:

Augusta-Richmond County

The $3,720,000 EC-SDC grant will fund pilot testing and the installation of the determined PFAS remediation technology at the drinking water plant.

Chatsworth Water Works Commission

The $6,837,000 EC-DW grant will fund pilot testing and the installation of the determined PFAS remediation technology for the drinking water plant. The Chatsworth Water Works Commission also previously received a $7,304,000 increase to its $3,500,000 grant for this project, which was awarded in December 2023.

Dalton Utilities

The $3,596,000 EC-CW grant will provide additional funding for a pilot study of technologies for the pre-treatment, removal, and destruction of PFAS contaminants at the wastewater treatment plant. This is the second EC-CW grant provided for the project.

The $1,370,000 EC-DW grant will fund a pilot study of technologies for the pre-treatment and removal of PFAS contaminants at the water treatment plant.

City of Gray

The $400,000 EC-DW grant will fund a pilot study for PFAS remediation technologies at the city’s drinking water plant.

Harris County

The $627,000 EC-DW grant will fund a pilot study for PFAS remediation technologies at the county’s drinking water plant.

City of Ringgold

The $2,580,000 EC-SDC grant will fund a pilot study for PFAS remediation technologies, the installation of the determined PFAS remediation technology for the drinking water plant, and the construction of a well.

City of Summerville

The $4,500,000 EC-SDC grant will fund the installation of PFAS remediation technology and upgrading the city’s drinking water plant.

Talbot County BOC

The $4,300,000 EC-SDC grant will fund the construction of a new well and the installation of PFAS remediation technology at the city’s drinking water plant.

City of Tennille

The $2,500,000 EC-SDC grant will fund the installation of 1,1-Dichloroethane remediation technology in the drinking water plant.

City of White

The $1,800,000 EC-SDC grant will fund a pilot study for PFAS remediation technologies at the drinking water plant.