The Flint River begins at the world’s busiest airport.

What the public record shows

1. Where it starts

   The Flint River begins as seepage at a concrete culvert in Hapeville, just north of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and flows in pipes beneath the runways.

   Source: New Georgia Encyclopedia (Georgia Humanities), last edited July 26, 2017

2. The airport above it

   Hartsfield-Jackson was the world’s busiest airport by passengers in 2025, with 106.3 million. The City of Atlanta owns and operates it.

   Source: ACI World, April 14, 2026 (preliminary) · Southern Environmental Law Center, July 29, 2026

3. Who drinks from it

   Advocates say the Flint provides drinking water to more than 400,000 people in Clayton, Coweta, Fayette, Pike and Spalding Counties. The City of Griffin and Clayton County draw part of their drinking water from the river downstream of the airport.

   Source: Southern Environmental Law Center, July 29, 2026

4. January 2026

   A jet fuel release reached the river system. Georgia EPD estimated about 20,000 gallons entered it, and EPA classified it a major discharge affecting at least 6.5 river miles.

   Source: Rough Draft Atlanta / GPB, April 14, 2026

5. January 30, 2026

   Griffin closed its Flint River intake and issued a do-not-drink advisory.

   Source: Insurance Journal, February 2, 2026

6. De-icing fluid

   Propylene glycol, a de-icing chemical, was found in the clear well at Griffin’s treatment plant.

   Source: Rough Draft Atlanta / GPB, April 14, 2026

7. PFAS

   Griffin reported PFAS in its Flint River source water at double to triple the EPA limit, under EPA’s monitoring program for unregulated contaminants. Griffin has until 2031 to comply.

   Source: Georgia Water Planning, posted August 2, 2026

8. July 29, 2026

   Flint Riverkeeper and the Southern Environmental Law Center sent the City of Atlanta a notice of intent to sue under the Clean Water Act and the federal solid-waste law. No lawsuit had been filed as of that date.

   Source: Southern Environmental Law Center, July 29, 2026 · WABE, July 29, 2026

9. Low water

   American Rivers ranked the Flint #2 on its list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers in 2013, citing water management, drought and demand.

   Source: WWALS Watershed Coalition, April 21, 2013

Every line above restates a public source in our own words, with its publisher and date. Where a figure comes from advocates, we say so. Aquagenuity^® makes no finding about any party and doesn’t call any water safe or unsafe. Spot something we should correct? Tell us.