Drinking Water Archives - Coosa River Basin Initiative

PUBLIC COMMENTS: EPA Moves to Weaken PFAS Limits in Drinking Water

July 14, 2026

EPA has proposed two rules to weaken PFAS limits in drinking water. The deadline to submit written comments is Monday, July 20. BACKGROUND: In 2024, EPA finalized drinking water regulations that covered 6 PFAS compounds (PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO–DA [GenX], and PFBS). Utilities were given a 5-year runway to make appropriate plans to come into compliance with these drinking water limits by 2029 – this is the maximum amount of time permitted for compliance with a Safe Drinking Water…

Clean up of harmful PFAS pollution promised in northwest Georgia Coosa River Basin Initiative, SELC, settle federal case against city of Calhoun

August 8, 2024

Advocacy, Press Releases, Water Monitoring

Press release from the Southern Environmental Law CenterFor immediate release: August 8, 2024Contact:Jesse Demonbruen-Chapman, Coosa River Basin Initiative, 706-232-2724,jesse@coosa.orgTerah Boyd, Southern Environmental Law Center, 678-234-7990, tboyd@selcga.org ROME, Ga. — In one of the most comprehensive settlements of its kind in the nation,the city of Calhoun has agreed to take meaningful steps to protect northwest Georgia’swater supply from years of widespread PFAS pollution. Represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, Coosa River Basin Initiativeagreed to resolve a federal lawsuit against the…

Conservation groups petition EPA to revoke Georgia’s CCR Permit Program

August 1, 2024

Advocacy, Blog Posts, Plant Hammond, Press Releases

ATLANTA — Today the Southern Environmental Law Center, on behalf of Coosa River Basin Initiative, Altamaha Riverkeeper, Chattahoochee Riverkeeper, Georgia Interfaith Power and Light, the Sierra Club and others, petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revoke Georgia’s Partial Coal Ash Permit Program because it allows coal ash pollution of Georgia’s water resources by authorizing disposal of toxic coal ash in the groundwater, in violation of national safety standards. Coal ash, or coal combustion residuals (CCR), is generated from burning coal for…

Groups sue to stop PFAS pollution in northwest Georgia

February 27, 2024

Advocacy, Press Releases, Water Monitoring

Groups plan lawsuit to stop PFAS pollution in northwest Georgia Coosa River Basin Initiative, SELC, plan to sue the city of Calhoun in federal court ROME, Ga. — On behalf of Coosa River Basin Initiative, the Southern Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit against the city of Calhoun in Federal District Court for violating federal law and allowing harmful pollutants in drinking water. Calhoun’s wastewater treatment plant is polluting the region with PFAS in two ways:discharging PFAS directly to the Coosawattee River…

Coosa River Basin Initiative and Coosa Riverkeeper Join Forces to Monitor PFAS Contamination in the Coosa River Basin

January 25, 2024

Advocacy, Press Releases, Water Monitoring

In response to growing concerns about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and their potential impact on public health, Coosa River Basin Initiative (CRBI) and Coosa Riverkeeper are pleased to announce their collaboration on a crucial project aimed at monitoring PFAS contamination in the Coosa River Basin in Georgia and Alabama. PFAS are a group of human-made chemicals used in various industries for their stain resistant and flame retardant properties. Unfortunately, these persistent chemicals have been linked to potential health risks…

Why Test for E. coli? Here’s What You Need to Know…

August 2, 2023

Blog Posts, Lake Allatoona, Water Monitoring

Written by Courtnee Davenport Every year, from Memorial Day to Labor Day, CRBI sends out dedicated field techs to collect water samples from 30 boat ramps, public beaches, and rivers from Weiss Lake to Allatoona Lake for Swim Guide. The goal for collecting these samples is to find out how much E. coli is present in these popular recreational areas. In order to help our community better understand what E. coli is, where it comes from, and why it matters…