The City of LaFayette is monitoring PFAS levels in its drinking water and preparing for upcoming federal standards, according to City Manager David Hamilton.
“The safety of our residents’ drinking water is a top priority, and we understand why reports about PFAS raise questions,” Hamilton said in response to recent national reporting that highlighted testing data from the city’s water system.
The data, compiled by USA Today using information submitted by public water systems to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indicates LaFayette’s system recorded PFAS levels 7.1 times higher than the limit set under the EPA’s newly adopted drinking water standards.
Hamilton noted the standards referenced in the report are part of new federal regulations approved in 2024 that will not take effect until 2029, giving water systems across the country several years to meet the requirements.
“Those future limits are part of a nationwide regulatory transition that water systems across the country are working toward meeting over the next several years,” Hamilton said.
He added that LaFayette’s water system is currently operating in compliance with all existing federal and state drinking water regulations.
“For several years, the City has been monitoring PFAS developments and planning for the upcoming regulatory changes,” Hamilton said. “The City has evaluated advanced treatment options and continues to review potential solutions so the system will be positioned to address the new standards as they take effect.”
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are long-lasting man-made chemicals that break down very slowly and have been widely used in products designed to resist heat, water and oil. According to the EPA, the chemicals are now found in water, air, soil, fish and even human blood at varying levels.
Scientific studies have linked exposure to some PFAS chemicals to potential health effects in humans and animals.
LaFayette was one of six Georgia public water systems identified in the testing data as exceeding the EPA’s newly established PFAS limits. The others include the Augusta–Richmond County Water System at 10.9 times the limit, Chattooga County at 4.5 times the limit, Columbus at 4.3 times the limit, Calhoun at 3.7 times the limit, and Chickamauga at 3.1 times the limit.
Hamilton said PFAS compounds have been detected in water systems across the United States and that ongoing research and treatment advances are helping communities better understand and manage the chemicals.
Residents who want more information about local water quality can review the city’s annual Consumer Confidence Report at bit.ly/CCR2025LaFayette.
For those concerned about PFAS exposure, the EPA notes that not all household water filters remove the chemicals. Filters certified to reduce PFAS include granular activated carbon (charcoal) filters, reverse osmosis systems and ion exchange resin filters, which work by trapping or separating contaminants as water passes through the system.