Is there PFAS in Atlanta water?
Yes, at low levels. 4 PFAS were detected, all below EPA's 2024 limits.
Atlanta
Serves 1.1 million people · 12 PFOA samples from 2 sampling points · Apr 2023 to Jan 2024
PFAS found, below EPA limits
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid
not detected
PFOS Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid
not detected
Hazard index GenX, PFBS, PFNA, PFHxS combined
not detected
Also detected, no federal limit: PFBA, PFPeA, PFHxA, PFBS.
Atlanta is a public water system drawing on surface water, based in Atlanta, Georgia, serving about 1.1 million people, including Fairburn, Palmetto, Union City, Riverdale, Atlanta. Under EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule it was tested for 29 PFAS and lithium 12 times across 2 sampling points between Apr 2023 and Jan 2024.
Every PFAS detected
Not detected: 6:2 FTS, PFUnA, HFPO-DA, ADONA, 9Cl-PF3ONS, 11Cl-PF3OUdS, PFDoA, PFDA, PFOA, PFNA, PFOS, PFHpA, PFHxS, PFHpS, PFTrDA, NEtFOSAA, NMeFOSAA, PFTA, 4:2 FTS, PFPeS, NFDHA, PFEESA, PFMBA, PFMPA, 8:2 FTS.
Lithium, tested in the same program: not detected.
What the EPA limits mean here
In April 2024 EPA set enforceable limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS, 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX, and a hazard index of 1 for mixtures. Utilities were given until 2029 to comply. In May 2026 EPA proposed keeping only the PFOA and PFOS limits and moving that deadline to 2031. Until that proposal is final, the 2024 limits stand.
Compliance is judged on a running annual average at each entry point, so we show the average at this system's worst sampling point next to its single highest result. UCMR 5 results do not by themselves put a utility in or out of compliance.
What you can do at home
Levels here are under EPA's limits, so no treatment is required. If you want them lower anyway, a certified reverse osmosis system under the sink handles drinking water, and a whole-house carbon filter also takes out the chlorine or chloramine your utility adds.
Other systems in Georgia
All 256 tested systems in Georgia
ZIP codes served
30213 30268 30291 30296 30303 30305 30306 30307 30308 30309 30310 30311 30312 30313 30314 30315 30316 30317 30318 30319 30320 30324 30326 30327 30328 30331 30336 30337 30339 30342 30349 30350 30354 30363
As reported by the utility to EPA. Neighbouring ZIPs are often split between systems; your water bill names yours.
Cite this page
Well & Tap. "PFAS in Atlanta water: EPA UCMR 5 results." Data: U.S. EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, final release August 2026, PWSID GA1210001. https://wellandtap.com/pfas/georgia/atlanta/
About this data
Source: U.S. EPA, UCMR 5 occurrence data, final release August 2026 (PWSID GA1210001). Population: EPA SDWIS. Averages count results below the reporting level as zero, the same convention EPA uses for running annual averages. Full method.
