What decades of 'forever chemicals' left behind in one Georgia community

The creek changed colors before anyone understood why. For generations, Calhoun residents watched dyes, coatings and “forever chemicals” wash out of carpet mills and into their waterways. Organizer Kim Chapman says her community still lives with the consequences — from workers falling ill, including her own father, to confusion about what PFAS contamination means for families across the region. Through her group Calhoun: Water Matters, Chapman has tried to help neighbors make sense of the risks as flooding keeps spreading PFAS‑tainted sediment through fields and creeks. Carpet giants Shaw and Mohawk say their chemical suppliers assured them the products were safe and that they stopped using PFAS in U.S. manufacturing in 2019. But with lawsuits growing and lawmakers advancing bills that could limit industry liability, Chapman says little has changed — and the fight for accountability is far from over. Credits: AJC | Mapbox | OpenStreetMap | Getty | Calhoun: Water Matters/Facebook | Georgia General Assembly