PFAS · FOREVER CHEMICALS◆HARD WATER · LIMESTONE MINERALS◆SOFT WATER · SODIUM TRADE-OFFS◆CONASAUGA RIVER WATERSHED◆GEORGIA DATA CENTERS · WATER ACCOUNTABILITY◆EPA · FIRST ENFORCEABLE LIMITS · 2024◆NSF / ANSI · 42 · 53 · 401 · 55◆WQA GOLD SEAL CERTIFIED◆STRIPLIN VENTURES · DALTON GA◆PFAS · FOREVER CHEMICALS◆HARD WATER · LIMESTONE MINERALS◆SOFT WATER · SODIUM TRADE-OFFS◆CONASAUGA RIVER WATERSHED◆GEORGIA DATA CENTERS · WATER ACCOUNTABILITY◆EPA · FIRST ENFORCEABLE LIMITS · 2024◆NSF / ANSI · 42 · 53 · 401 · 55◆WQA GOLD SEAL CERTIFIED◆STRIPLIN VENTURES · DALTON GA◆
Striplin Ventures
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ISSUE №01
NATIONWIDE · LOCAL INSTALL

Striplin Ventures

We are local families too. We cook, bathe, and fill our children's cups from the same regional water. PFAS from decades of industrial activity, hard-water minerals, and softener trade-offs do not disappear because corporations would rather move on. You deserve clear answers, and a practical layer of protection at home.

/ Request a no-obligation PFAS & hard-water consultation

WE DO NOT SELL YOUR INFORMATION · A CONSULTANT USUALLY REPLIES WITHIN ONE BUSINESS DAY

Or learn the basics first Refer & earn 5-MIN READ · SYSTEMS SHIP NATIONWIDE · NO-OBLIGATION CONSULTATION
/ 01
The Watershed

This isn't hypothetical.
This is your watershed.

The Source

For decades, manufacturers across Northwest Georgia (NWGA) and Southeast Tennessee (SETN) used PFAS-based chemicals in industrial processes. Wastewater containing PFAS was discharged into the Conasauga River watershed over many years.

In 2024, cities across the region filed lawsuits against chemical manufacturers. National reporting connected the regional legal effort with environmental advocate Erin Brockovich, known for her role in the Hinkley, California contamination case. This is a factual news reference only. It does not imply endorsement of or affiliation with Striplin Ventures.

PFAS don't break down. What went into the watershed decades ago is still detectable today.

The Reach

The Conasauga River flows through Whitfield County (Dalton), Murray County, and into the Tennessee River system. Communities throughout NW Georgia and SE Tennessee draw drinking water from sources connected to this watershed.

If you live in or near Chattanooga, Dalton, Calhoun, Ringgold, Fort Oglethorpe, or surrounding areas, your water supply exists downstream of one of the most documented PFAS contamination zones in the Southeast.

Reporting on university testing in the region has described PFAS levels in some affected waterways as very high. The reporting we rely on is linked in the sources list below, and results vary by waterway and sampling date.

got pfas?
/ 02
The Numbers

PFAS, measured right here.

PFAS are man made chemicals used in carpet backing, stain treatment, firefighting foam and industrial coatings. They do not break down in the environment or in the body. In 2024 the EPA set the first enforceable drinking water limits: 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and 4 parts per trillion for PFOS.

Below are the reported figures for the public water systems in this region, taken from EPA UCMR 5 sampling. These are not estimates from us. They are the numbers the utilities themselves submitted.

SystemPFOA + PFOSCompounds foundPeople servedSource
Dalton Utilities
Dalton · Whitfield Co., GA

Sampling at the V.D. Parrott plant (Nov 2024 through Sep 2025) put the PFOS and PFOA running averages above the 4 ppt federal limit. Six PFAS compounds were detected under UCMR 5.

4.3 – 5.3 ppt
At or above EPA limit
699,315Surface water
City of Calhoun
Calhoun · Gordon Co., GA

UCMR 5 sampling returned PFAS above the current EPA limit. Calhoun sits downstream of decades of carpet-industry land application in the Coosa basin.

Above 4 ppt
At or above EPA limit
553,090Surface water
City of Rome
Rome · Floyd Co., GA

Rome draws from the Oostanaula, which carries flow from the Conasauga watershed. UCMR 5 sampling returned PFAS above the current EPA limit.

Above 4 ppt
At or above EPA limit
545,586Surface water
Tennessee American Water
Chattanooga · Hamilton Co., TN

Tennessee River intake. UCMR 5 detections are present but reported below the 4 ppt limit. Detection is not the same as zero exposure, and limits ratchet down over time.

Detected, under 4 ppt
Below EPA limit
3350,000Surface water
Catoosa Utility District
Ringgold · Catoosa Co., GA

Blended groundwater and purchased surface water. Groundwater sourced from limestone raises hardness relative to river-fed neighbors.

Detected, low
Below EPA limit
260,000Mixed
4 ppt
EPA enforceable limit for PFOA and PFOS, set 2024
10 ppt
EPA limit for PFHxS, PFNA and GenX
12,000+
PFAS compounds identified globally

Source: EPA UCMR 5 data finder · EPA PFAS national primary drinking water regulation, 2024 · utility consumer confidence reports

/ 03
Hardness · Minerals · Your Number

What is actually
in your water?

Hardness is dissolved calcium and magnesium, measured in grains per gallon. NW Georgia and SE Tennessee split two ways. River fed city systems here run soft to moderately hard, roughly 1.8–7.0 gpg. Private wells sitting on Valley and Ridge limestone run 7–20 gpg, which is hard to very hard.

A softener trades calcium for sodium and helps your appliances. It does not remove PFAS. A certified point of use purifier removes contaminants at the kitchen tap and leaves the beneficial minerals in. They solve different problems, and anybody telling you one product does both is selling.

Whole home hardness is handled at the main line with two tanks. Tank one is the softener resin tank, paired with a brine tank that regenerates it. Tank two is carbon filtration for chlorine and taste. Everything downstream, showers, laundry, water heater, runs on treated water, while the certified purifier still sits at the kitchen tap for drinking. Striplin Ventures installs and services both.

Whole home water treatment diagram showing the main line feeding a softener resin tank and brine tank, then a carbon filter tank, then the rest of the house, with a drinking water purifier at the kitchen tap
Fig. 08 — Two tank whole home setup, with purification at the tap
Water calculator

Run your own address.

Enter your ZIP code and we match it to the public water system that serves it, then pull the reported PFAS and hardness numbers for that system. Well owners get the regional limestone range, because nobody tests private wells for you.

Water supply

Data: EPA UCMR 5 · EPA PFAS NPDWR 2024 · utility consumer confidence reports · USGS hardness mapping. 5 regional systems tracked.

/ 04
A Georgia Warning

Families should not have
to fear the faucet.

We live here. We cook here. We fill our children's cups here. Clean water is not a luxury, and a family's well should never become collateral damage for corporate growth.

Georgia's rapid data-center expansion has intensified scrutiny of industrial water demand and local infrastructure, and this pattern is repeating nationwide. On May 20, 2026, a U.S. House hearing put two jars of discolored well water from Morgan County on the national record after residents raised concerns near a large data-center campus. That case is east of Atlanta, not our watershed, but the warning belongs to every American community: growth must not outrun accountability.

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez holds jars of discolored Georgia well water during a congressional hearing
May 20, 2026 — U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee · Public-Domain Hearing Image
The jars are a warning
This is not what any family wants from the place they call home.

The hearing did not establish that a data center caused the discoloration. It did establish something important: residents deserve testing, transparent answers, and action before uncertainty becomes normal.

Anonymous community advocates review water samples and evidence near an industrial river
Original editorial illustration · Community water advocacy
People are already fighting for answers

Northwest Georgia has their attention for a reason.

PFAS Georgia and community advocates have organized town halls and legal work around PFAS contamination affecting Northwest Georgia. Existing GPB reporting also documents Erin Brockovich's connection to that legal effort. This factual reference does not indicate any endorsement of or affiliation with Striplin Ventures. Advocacy is not a substitute for testing your own water, but it underscores the need for families to make informed choices.

Want to see what's in your own tap water? Look up your ZIP code in the EWG Tap Water Database for a free breakdown of contaminants detected in your local utility's water.

Striplin Ventures is based here, but we don't think water quality should be a postcode lottery. We ship certified purification systems nationwide and offer local professional installation across NW Georgia and SE Tennessee. If you're outside our immediate install area, we can connect you with resources or guide your own installer through the process.

Real people, real voices

This is what community looks like.

Chelsea K is a PFAS advocate who has been organizing and speaking out for families impacted by water contamination. At a local town hall meeting, she helped a room full of everyday people find their voice, and the crowd was loud. These are your neighbors. They care. And they're in this fight with you.

When you see real locals this fired up, you understand: this issue touches kitchens, schools, and playgrounds. Not headlines, homes.

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Chelsea K PFAS Advocate Town Hall Meeting

Chelsea K · PFAS Advocate · Town Hall Meeting

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Watch on YouTube

PFAS Cycle, How It Ends Up In Our Homes

PFAS Cycle · How It Reaches Your Home
Understand the cycle

From factory to faucet.

PFAS don't just appear, they travel. This graphic breaks down the full cycle: how these chemicals are manufactured, why they persist for decades, and the pathways that carry them from industrial sites straight into residential water supplies.

Knowing how PFAS gets in is the first step to keeping it out. The right filtration system is designed to break that cycle at your tap.

Sources · Read the reporting
U.S. House hearing · May 20, 2026Georgia data centers & water · WABEPFAS Georgia community workEWG Tap Water Database · look up your local waterRegional PFAS legal reporting · GPB
/ 05
The System

What a real
purifier does.

Striplin Ventures works with multiple trusted brands and manufacturers to match each household with the right certified solution. Here is what to look for in any purifier worth installing under your sink.

  • / 01Reduces PFAS including PFOA and PFOS
  • / 02Reduces 170+ contaminants commonly found in tap water
  • / 03UV-C light to address waterborne bacteria and viruses
  • / 04Independently certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 401, and 55
  • / 05WQA Gold Seal certified
  • / 06Keeps beneficial minerals, unlike reverse osmosis
  • / 07One filter per year, no wasted water, no brine discharge
  • / 08Two-minute filter change, no tools required
  • / 09Installs above or below the kitchen sink
  • / 10Point-of-use: protects drinking and cooking water specifically

We compare certified options across brands and manufacturers, then recommend the system that fits your home during your no-obligation consultation.

/ 05·a
Install Options

Renting or owning, there is a fit.

/ Above the sink

Countertop, portable, lease-safe

Countertop water purifier connected to kitchen faucet with diverter valve and power outlet
Fig. 05·a2 — Countertop install

Perfect for renters who do not want to void a lease agreement. The unit sits on the counter and connects to your existing faucet with no drilling, no plumbing changes, and no landlord approval required. Because it is not plumbed in, it can be unhooked and taken with you when you move.

  • · NO PLUMBING MODIFICATIONS
  • · INSTALL YOURSELF IN MINUTES
  • · TRAVELS WITH YOU TO THE NEXT HOME
/ Under the sink

Permanent, dedicated faucet

Under-sink water purifier plumbed to a dedicated faucet with color-coded supply lines
Fig. 05·a3 — Under-sink install with dedicated faucet

The more permanent option lives under the sink and delivers purified water through a dedicated faucet. Depending on your sink material and cabinet configuration, this install may call for a professional plumber. Your Water Solutions Consultant will confirm the right path during your walk-through.

  • · DEDICATED PURIFIED-WATER FAUCET
  • · HIDDEN, OUT OF THE WAY
  • · PROFESSIONAL INSTALL AVAILABLE
/ 05·b
Comparison Matrix

Not all filters are created equal.

Reduces PFAS
Certified Carbon + UV✓ Certified
Reverse Osmosis✓ Most
Pitcher Filter—
Reduces Lead
Certified Carbon + UV✓
Reverse Osmosis✓
Pitcher FilterPartial
Addresses bacteria (UV)
Certified Carbon + UV✓
Reverse Osmosis—
Pitcher Filter—
Keeps minerals
Certified Carbon + UV✓
Reverse Osmosis—
Pitcher Filter✓
Wastes water
Certified Carbon + UVNo
Reverse OsmosisYes (~80%)
Pitcher FilterNo
NSF certified
Certified Carbon + UV4 standards
Reverse OsmosisVaries
Pitcher FilterStd 42 only
Annual cost to run
Certified Carbon + UVLow
Reverse OsmosisMedium
Pitcher FilterMedium

Pitcher filters are generally certified for taste and odor. A purifier certified to NSF/ANSI 53 and 401 is tested to reduce specific contaminants, which is a different standard. Check the certification of whatever you buy.

/ 06
The RO Problem

Reverse osmosis,
honestly.

RO systems are sold hard in this region, and they do reduce contaminants. But before you sign for one, know what ownership actually looks like.

Follow the pink line. For every gallon that reaches your glass, three to four more are flushed straight down the drain.

Schematic of a residential reverse osmosis system showing 1 gallon of drinking water delivered while 3 to 4 gallons are wasted to drain
Fig. 07 — Where the water actually goes in a typical RO system
  • / 01

    20–25% recovery

    Typical residential reverse osmosis recovers only 20 to 25 percent of the water it takes in. That is a 3:1 to 4:1 reject ratio, so 3 to 4 gallons go down the drain for every gallon you drink. A family of four drinking and cooking with roughly 1,095 gallons a year sends 3,285 to 4,380 gallons to waste.

  • / 02

    3–5 filter stages

    Most RO units stack sediment, carbon block, the membrane, and a post carbon or remineralizing stage, each on its own schedule. Pre filters run 6 to 12 months, the membrane 2 to 5 years. Budget $90 to $250 a year in consumables, plus the tank and faucet hardware.

  • / 03

    90–99% of minerals removed

    The membrane strips total dissolved solids indiscriminately, which takes out the calcium and magnesium along with the contaminants. The result is demineralized, flat tasting water, which is why so many units bolt on a remineralization cartridge to put back what they just removed.

  • / 04

    Service after the sale

    Much of this category is sold by independent sales organizations rather than service companies. When a membrane fails or a warranty claim comes up years later, the original seller is often gone and the unit is orphaned. Ask who services it in year five before you sign anything.

This is exactly why I started Striplin Ventures. Families here were being sold equipment by companies that would not answer the phone a year later. I only recommend certified systems I can stand behind, service locally, and warranty for the long haul, with one filter a year and zero wasted water.

And when a home genuinely calls for reverse osmosis, like very high TDS well water, I sell and service those too. The difference is you get the honest math first, and someone local who picks up the phone after the sale.

Compare certifications, not sales pitches. Your no-obligation consultation includes a full breakdown.

Talk to a local specialist
/ 07
Independent Certifications

The marks that
actually mean something.

Every certification below is awarded by an independent third party, not by the manufacturer of the filter. If a system you're shopping for doesn't carry these, ask why.

NSF / ANSI
42
Aesthetic effects

Reduces chlorine taste & odor, particulates, and other aesthetic contaminants. The baseline standard for any drinking-water system.

NSF / ANSI
53
Health effects

Reduces contaminants with established health effects, including lead, cysts, VOCs, and PFAS compounds like PFOA and PFOS.

NSF / ANSI
401
Emerging contaminants

Covers pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and herbicides that increasingly appear in source water, beyond classic regulatory lists.

NSF / ANSI
55
UV microbiological

Ultraviolet treatment that addresses bacteria and viruses in drinking water, a layer most carbon-only filters cannot provide.

WQA
Gold Seal
Water Quality Association

Independent third-party certification that the product meets or exceeds industry standards for contaminant reduction and structural integrity.

EPA
2024
PFAS rule compliance

The EPA's first enforceable maximum contaminant levels for six PFAS compounds in drinking water, the new floor for what counts as safe.

STRIPLIN VENTURES ONLY RECOMMENDS SYSTEMS CARRYING THESE INDEPENDENT MARKS.

/ 08
The Inquiry

Is your home affected?
Let's find out together.

The more we know before the call, the less time you spend explaining and the more time we can spend comparing solutions that fit your home, water, and priorities.

Complimentary 20-minute consultation
No obligation to purchase
Recommendations prepared around your household
STEP 1 OF 2 · ABOUT 2 MINUTES
WE DO NOT SELL YOUR INFORMATION
STEP 1 OF 250% COMPLETE
01 — YOUR DETAILS
02 — YOUR HOME

SYSTEMS SHIP NATIONWIDE · LOCAL INSTALL IN NW GA / SE TN

/ 09
The Author

Local. Knowledgeable.
No agenda but yours.

Dems, a local entrepreneur based in Dalton, Georgia
Water Solutions ConsultantDalton, Georgia · 2026

I'm a local entrepreneur originally from Dalton, Georgia. Water quality became a focus because the PFAS data in our region is genuinely alarming, and it's not just here. Data centers and industrial activity are expanding across the country, bringing water accountability questions to communities that never expected them. Most homeowners have never heard about what's actually in their tap.

I'm not a corporation. I'm a neighbor who looked into this and decided to do something about it. Systems ship nationwide. Local professional installation is available across NW Georgia and SE Tennessee. If you're outside that area, we'll guide you or your installer through every step.

If you have questions about what's in your water, you will get straight answers. If a certified purifier is right for your home, your consultant will help you choose one and coordinate the installation approach that fits your kitchen.

Originally from Dalton · Striplin Ventures · Shipping Nationwide

/ 09.5
Work With Striplin Ventures

Refer customers.
Or build your own business.

We fulfill certified purification systems nationwide. Local professional installation is available across Northwest Georgia and Southeast Tennessee. Outside that footprint install gets trickier, so we ship the system and coordinate with the customer or their installer. Wherever your people are, if they drink water they are a candidate, and you get paid for the referral.

  • 01Plumbers, HVAC pros, contractors, and cleaners
  • 02Realtors and home inspectors
  • 03Anyone who wants to start their own business
  • 04Existing customers referring friends and family

Straight answers. No pressure. Real earning opportunity.

Inquire about the opportunity
/ 10
Index of Questions

Common questions.

No, and that's intentional. A point-of-use drinking-water purifier removes contaminants while keeping beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium. If you have scale on faucets, glassware, or your water heater, you want a whole-house softener in addition to a purifier, not instead of it. Your Water Solutions Consultant will help you figure out what your home actually needs.

/ 09
NEXT STEP

Talk to a local consultant.
Free.

This complimentary, no-obligation 20-minute consultation covers what's in your water, which certifications matter, and whether you need a purifier, a softener, or both.

Request my no-obligation consultation