Resident warns of PFAS contamination at Whitfield County millage hearing, urges tax pause
Summary
A resident told the Whitfield County Board on Nov. 7 that local PFAS levels in water, soil and dust are alarmingly high and urged commissioners not to raise property taxes while contamination and cleanup remain unresolved. The speaker cited specific test numbers and asked the board to seek accountability from responsible parties.
At the Nov. 7, 2025 special-called millage hearing, Lisa Adams of Rocky Face told the Whitfield County Board of Commissioners that PFAS contamination in the Dalton area represented an "environmental and public health crisis" and urged the board to halt any property tax increase.
Adams said local testing showed PFAS concentrations “over 91,000 parts per trillion” in Dalton’s water, “more than 22,000 times higher than the EPA's health advisory limit” she cited as 4 parts per trillion. She also said soil tests recorded readings “over 2,100,000 parts per trillion,” and dust inside homes tested as high as 875,000 parts per trillion. Adams told the board families were buying bottled water, filters, and paying for medical costs related to contamination, and asked commissioners to demand accountability and cleanup rather than raise residents’ taxes.
The board did not announce an immediate remediation plan or a formal response during the meeting. Commissioners and staff noted the meeting’s primary agenda was millage setting; staff and several commissioners said the board would accept follow-up communications from the public. No county-funded cleanup action was authorized during the session.
