About 100 Alabamians gathered because they wanted answers.
Gadsden residents are facing a task that could take years to solve: contaminated drinking water as a result of toxic chemicals in the Coosa River. AL.com hosted a community screening of the FRONTLINE documentary “Contaminated: The Carpet Industry’s Toxic Legacy” at the Pitman Theatre.
The chemicals used to prevent carpet stains, known as PFAS or “forever chemicals,” have affected multiple communities in two states.
“They wanted to know how this could have happened and how they can get recourse today,” said AL.com’s Maggie Kates, whose reporting contributed to the documentary. “It was great to see so many people really care about an issue that you can't see or smell or taste.”
Kates worked alongside FRONTLINE, the Associated Press, Charleston Post and Courier and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to reveal how the chemicals used by the carpet companies in northwest Georgia made their way into the drinking water in east Alabama.
“When the idea for a movie night first came up, it was really important to us and to our partners that we host it in a place where Alabamians have been directly affected by contaminated drinking water,” said AL.com investigative editor Ashley Remkus.
Left to figure out how to clean up the contamination without help from the federal or state governments, the Gadsden water utility sued the carpet and chemical companies.
Remkus said the screening brought together passionate residents who “want to know how to protect themselves and their neighbors. They want accountability for the contamination in their water.”
After viewing the documentary, a panel with Kates, Gadsden radio host Fred Zackery, Coosa Riverkeeper’s Justinn Overton and Emory University professor Dana Barr answered audience questions. AL.com’s John Archibald served as moderator.
Kates said the community gathering motivated residents to speak with their doctors, state agencies and utilities to understand how they may be affected by PFAS.
“I know that’s easier said than done, but unfortunately this problem is not going away anytime soon,” Kates said.
Check out the full documentary on YouTube and Kates’ reporting on AL.com.