A federal judge has ruled that residents in and around Summerville may continue pursuing claims seeking reimbursement for costs associated with cleaning up drinking water contaminated by PFAS, commonly known as “forever chemicals.”

The ruling comes in the long-running federal lawsuit over alleged PFAS contamination of Raccoon Creek and the Chattooga River watershed, which serves as the primary drinking water source for the City of Summerville. The lawsuit alleges chemicals manufactured by companies including 3M, DuPont, Chemours and Daikin America contaminated local waterways through industrial discharges, leading to increased costs for treating the public water supply.

In a series of rulings issued in July, U.S. District Judge Thomas W. Thrash Jr. denied summary judgment motions filed by several defendants, allowing key portions of the case to move forward toward trial. The court determined there are factual disputes that should be decided by a jury rather than dismissed before trial.

One of the most significant aspects of the decision is that residents may continue seeking damages tied to higher water rates that were allegedly used to fund remediation of PFAS contamination. According to court filings, plaintiffs argue they have effectively borne part of the cost of removing the chemicals from the public water supply through increased utility rates.

The case began in 2021 when Summerville resident Earl Parris filed a proposed class-action lawsuit. The City of Summerville later joined the litigation, alleging it has incurred substantial costs to monitor and remove PFAS from its drinking water system. The city draws much of its drinking water from Raccoon Creek, which plaintiffs contend was contaminated by PFAS discharged upstream.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of man-made chemicals used for decades in products such as nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foam and industrial manufacturing. Because they break down very slowly, they are often referred to as “forever chemicals.”

The recent rulings do not determine that the defendant companies are liable or that residents will receive compensation. Instead, the judge concluded there is sufficient evidence for a jury to consider the claims. The defendants continue to deny responsibility and will have the opportunity to present their defenses at trial.

The litigation remains pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, and no trial date has yet been announced.