Quick Solutions To PFAS In Drinking Water, Especially For Smaller Systems

By Neal Megonnell

With funds falling short of costs for pending PFAS rules compliance, utilities require an economical treatment solution.

As the drinking water industry awaits news from the U.S. EPA about final maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six common PFAS compounds, utilities across the country fall on a broad spectrum between proactively mitigating PFAS contamination in their drinking water to having no idea where to begin.

MCL finalization is imminent, and utilities are expected to have three years to achieve compliance. The EPA estimates about 66,000 systems will need to test for PFAS, and between 3,400 and 6,300 public drinking water systems will require mitigation. When considering the funding needs, the subsequent mitigation systems upgrades, and the inevitable strain on the supply chain, three years is an aggressive timeline.