Summerville, Georgia, issues health advisory for water

Feb. 4--Residents of the city of Summerville, Georgia, have been told to fill up containers of fresh water at City Hall after the federal government issued a health advisory warning for the city's water quality.

On Friday afternoon, city manager Janice Galloway got a call from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency about the water quality from the city's Raccoon Creek treatment plant that showed high numbers of perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoic acid.

Those man-made chemicals are used to make carpet, clothing fabric, cookware, paper, packaging food and other materials, according to a statement from the city.

The city is insisting that the levels of both chemicals in its water have not increased but the federal EPA standards have changed.

EPA standards changed in 2016, lowering the acceptable maximum amount from 600 parts-per-trillion to 70. Summerville'sRaccoon Creek treatment plant registered 98 parts per trillion, and the combined levels of both chemicals in the Goodwin Hill Tank were found to be 92 parts per trillion.

The quality of the drinking water has not changed, city officials said. The EPA set its new standards in May 2016 after the agency's assessment of the latest peer-reviewed science.

On Monday night, water tanks were brought into the city for residents to fill containers with fresh water to drink free of charge.

The city water still can be used for washing foods, brushing teeth, bathing and showering, "provided that care is taken to avoid swallowing water during those activities," the city said in its advisory.

Pregnant women, nursing mothers and infants are advised not to drink city water. Those who fall under those categories should use bottled water for drinking and cooking and use formula that does not require adding water.

The city's advisory did not include a boiling advisory. In fact, the city said that boiling the water would increase the chemicals' potency in the water.

Residents who get their water from sources outside the city are not affected. Those communities include Menlo, Trion, Lyerly and the rest of Chattooga County.

Students in the Chattooga County School System and at Leroy Massey Elementary, Summerville Middle or Chattooga High School will be provided bottled water for drinking.

On its Facebook page, the city announced it would be handing out bottles of water until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Galloway did not return a call for comment by late Tuesday afternoon.

She told local radio station WZQZ in Chattooga County that city engineers are assessing the situation and looking to add additional filters to the affected treatment plants.

Galloway also said the city will continue to have drinkable water available for the city's water customers until the problem is resolved, WZQZ reported.

Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.

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