hexavalent

Georgia’s local public health departments offer a $122 well test that can detect a limited number of toxins, but not hexavalent chromium.

Each one contained hexavalent chromium levels between 30 and 140 times higher than drinking-water guidelines in North Carolina, and between 100 and 490 times higher than those in California.

On the other hand, Vengosh also has conducted research showing that ash from Wyoming-sourced Powder River Basin coal — the coal that Georgia Power uses at Plant Scherer — contains high levels of hexavalent chromium.

The coal ash deposits have heavy concentrations of hexavalent chromium, a carcinogen.