Problem:
In Fulton County, Georgia, water and sewer rates are rising sharply—5% annual increases approved for January 1, 2023, January 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025—to address aging infrastructure. While infrastructure improvements are important, they also raise costs for households already burdened by inflation, rising food prices, and stagnant wages.

While Georgia has increased the cost to improve aging infrastructure, the rising cost of food further adds financial stress for vulnerable communities, making it even harder to afford safe drinking water.

Meanwhile, PFAS (“forever chemicals”) contamination is a growing national crisis. According to the American Water Works Association, PFAS enter our water through industrial discharges, firefighting foams, landfills, and wastewater treatment plant effluent. These chemicals do not break down in the environment and have been linked to cancer, immune system damage, and developmental issues.
(Source: American Water Works Association – PFAS Resources)

Plastic bottles are not a safe alternative. Microplastics from disposable bottles are now being detected in human bloodstreams, posing new health risks. Glass bottles, on the other hand, are infinitely recyclable, do not leach harmful chemicals, and have a far smaller long-term environmental footprint.

Our Demand:
We call on Fulton County Commissioners and Georgia State Legislators to:

1. Create subsidies or vouchers for glass-bottled drinking water for residents in vulnerable communities.
2. Phase out reliance on single-use plastic bottles in public water programs.
3. Invest in PFAS removal technology in local water systems for all counties.
4. Support recycling infrastructure for glass to keep costs manageable.

Why This Matters:
Access to clean, safe, and affordable water is a basic human right. We should not have to choose between paying for groceries and protecting our families from contaminated drinking water.