SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — The City of Savannah filed a lawsuit against nearly 50 companies, alleging that they have been dumping harmful chemicals known as PFAS or “forever chemicals” into the Savannah River.
“…this is such a monumental lawsuit for us that we’re seeking damages to be made whole again by the damages that they took and deliberately took and knew that they took and kept manufacturing them,” Savannah’s 4th District Alderman Nick Palumbo said.
 
The lawsuit claimed that the city has been put in a position where they have to remove the chemicals from its drinking water to meet specific standards and protect the public’s health. Under new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations implemented last April, public water systems must come up with a solution that will reduce chemicals if monitoring shows high levels are present.

The city said they do not currently have the treatment technology necessary to those chemicals.
“You’re talking a scale of hundreds of millions of dollars to overhaul not just one water intake, but a comprehensive overhaul of our entire water network and system,” Palumbo said. “…everything that’s achieved through the water intake from the Savannah River because we’re having to protect and filter out these forever chemicals, which are extremely fine, extremely small.”
According to the EPA, exposure to these chemicals for a long period of time can cause illnesses and even death.
“This is the same water that we’re drinking from, showering in, bathing in, and these companies knew how incredibly harmful they were for the human body but kept making them and telling everybody that they were safe,” Palumbo said.
We also asked if the water is safe to drink right now.
“Certainly, a lot of alarm and concern of is the drinking water safe today,” Palumbo said. “You know, and that depends. You know, we’re actively taking measures right now to protect the water supply that we have,” he answered.
The Savannah Riverkeeper applauded the city for holding the companies accountable.
 
“I’m incredibly proud of this city,” Tonya Bonitatibus, executive director of the Savannah Riverkeeper, said. “Incredibly proud of the city, of the government on the state side. The federal side is now going to protect our citizens. We’re going to continue to bring in these chemical companies. Thank God the city of Savannah is willing to stand up and fight.”