EPA Research in Georgia

Explore EPA's research across the United States.

EPA researchers are working hard to protect communities across the nation. Learn about some of the work EPA researchers are doing in Georgia.

Evaluating Technologies for Removing PFAS from Drinking Water
Interactive Proctor Creek Story Map
Stream Monitoring Network
Performance Evaluation of Popular Air Sensors
Reducing Harmful Air Pollutants

For more EPA work, see EPA in Georgia.

Evaluating Technologies for Removing PFAS from Drinking Water

The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and EPA Region 4 requested EPA Office of Research and Development (ORD) assistance on behalf of a Georgia community assessing the effectiveness of using granulated activated carbon (GAC) for removing PFAS from their drinking water. ORD provided actionable model results which showed that GAC would likely provide PFAS removal at current treatment rates and provided some initial estimates for bed replacement intervals. Based on this work, the utility set up a confirmatory GAC test for evaluation.

Interactive Proctor Creek Story Map

Proctor Creek is an impaired waterway in Atlanta that experiences several overlapping environmental issues. EPA Office of Research and Development collaborated with Region 4 to engage with residents and stakeholders in Proctor Creek to identify and address community concerns related to the local environment. A major outcome of the collaboration was the development of The Proctor Creek Watershed Story Map—an easy-to-use, interactive online tool that combines maps with narrative text, images, and multimedia content. Since its release in 2020, the Story Map has been used to help community members engage as stewards of their watershed.

Stream Monitoring Network

EPA's Office of Research and Development is working with EPA regions, states (including Georgia), Tribes, river basin commissions and other entities to establish Regional Monitoring Networks for freshwater wadeable streams. The objectives are to collect long-term biological, thermal, hydrologic, physical habitat and water chemistry data to document baseline conditions across sites and detect long-term changes. This data can be used for many purposes, including informing water quality and biological criteria development and setting protection planning priorities, refining lists of biological, thermal and hydrologic indicators, and detecting trends in commonly used water quality and biological indicators.

Performance Evaluation of Popular Air Sensors

There is wide interest from air monitoring agencies, researchers, and community groups in deploying smaller, more portable air sensor technologies for community-scale air monitoring projects. First, air sensors need to be thoroughly evaluated in order to understand their limitations and data quality. EPA partnered with six air monitoring agencies, including the Georgia Environmental Protection Division, to operate five air sensor types alongside standard regulatory monitors so that data could be compared.

Reducing Harmful Air Pollutants

For more than 25 years, EPA and states have been using the Office of Research and Development's Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) Modeling System, a powerful computational tool for air quality management. CMAQ simultaneously models multiple air pollutants, including ozone, particulate matter, and a variety of air toxics to help air quality managers determine the best air quality management scenarios for their states and communities. The Georgia Environmental Protection Division uses CMAQ to develop and assess implementation actions needed to attain National Ambient Air Quality Standards mandated by the Clean Air Act.