According to the plaintiffs, these excess fluorochemicals were funneled into billions of gallons of industrial wastewater, processed by Dalton Utilities’ publicly owned treatment system, and illegally released into the Conasauga River in direct violation of the Clean Water Act (CWA).
Systemic Failures and Legal Violations
The complaint alleges that chemical companies and carpet manufacturers were fully aware that the treatment system, known as the riverbend land application system (LAS), was incapable of filtering out PFAS. Yet, they continued their unchecked discharge practices, turning the Conasauga River into a chemical dumping ground.
“Defendants knew the LAS repeatedly failed to contain and treat pollutants—and they knew neither the wastewater treatment system nor the LAS were ever designed to eliminate PFAS,” the lawsuit states. “The result was an inevitable and ongoing flood of PFAS pollution.”
The Lingering Impact: A River Still at Risk
Although Shaw and Mohawk claim to have ceased using PFAS-containing chemicals in 2019, the plaintiffs argue the contamination continues today, as residual PFAS remains in manufacturing facilities, discharge pipes, and other materials used by these companies.
