Colorado Utility Removes PFCS From Well With Xylem's Ion Exchange System

Perfluoro compounds (PFCs), which are suspected carcinogens, are a growing concern for communities and a challenge that many water utilities need to address. When the Stratmoor Hills Water District detected PFCs in a seasonal well, the utility partnered with Evoqua, a Xylem company, to find a cost-effective solution. The utility’s innovative new system, using selective single-use ion exchange resin, now removes PFCs to below detection limits.

The small unincorporated township of Stratmoor Hills is located in the foothills of Cheyenne Mountain in Southern Colorado Springs. It offers its residents stunning views, a lively cultural mix, and a convenient commute to the Fort Carson U.S. Army installation, making it a popular place for military families to live.

The community’s water security is the responsibility of the Stratmoor Hills Water District (SHWD), which oversees a combination of surface and groundwater sources. Concern about PFCs began in 2016, when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a health advisory for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water.

The EPA’s advisory tightened limits for these two PFCs from previous levels of 400 parts per trillion (ppt) of PFOA and 200 ppt of PFOS to 70 ppt for single or combined concentrations.