PFAS, The Challenge for Water/Wastewater Utilities

The management of PFAS has been a topic of discussion among the water/wastewater industry for the last few years, which has led to the development of the EPA's interim guidance for PFAS management. Our current understanding of both the extent of PFAS contamination nationwide in drinking water supplies and the concentrations that produce adverse health effects in the human body are in their early stages. What is certain is that PFAS will become an issue of growing concern over the next several years, if not decades, with the advancement of contamination site and health testing. Recently drafted EPA interim guidance and its key focus areas. The current on-going USEPA's PFAS Action Plan intend to develop MCLs for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water and to take steps to classify PFAS as hazardous substances. These actions have the potential to affect wastewater utilities in two keyways: (1) By requiring higher levels of treatment to protect downstream public water supplies and/or expanded source water protection measures; and (2) By limiting disposal options for PFAS contaminated waste or biosolids. States are also developing their own standards for PFAS in surface waters. The standards could be drivers for new permit limits and/or additional monitoring requirements for WWTPs. In turn, these requirements could result in costly investments in new treatment technologies to achieve a higher level of PFAS removal. Following States have already developed MCLs ahead of EPAs action plan: -New York established MCLs for PFOA and PFOS of 10 ppt individually -New Jersey adopted MCLs for drinking water for PFOS (13 ppt), PFOA (14 ppt), PFNA (13 ppt), and groundwater quality standards for PFNA (13 ppt), PFOA (14 ppt), and PFOS (13 ppt) -Michigan adopted groundwater cleanup standards for PFNA (6 ppt), PFOA (8 ppt), and PFOS (16 ppt), and MCLs in drinking water for PFNA (6ppt), PFOA (8ppt), PFOS (16ppt), PFHxS (51ppt), GenX (370ppt), PFBS (420ppt), and PFHxA (400,000ppt) -New Hampshire adopted drinking water MCLs for PFOA (12 ppt), PFOS (15 ppt), PFHxS (18 ppt), and PFNA (11ppt) -Vermont adopted a drinking water MCL for PFHxS, PFHpA, PFNA, PFOS, and PFOA of 4ppt individually and 20 ppt combined. -Massachusetts adopted drinking water MCLs for PFOS (3.3 ppt), PFOA (3.3 ppt), PFNA (3.3 ppt), PFHpA (3.3 ppt), PFDA (3.3 ppt) and not to exceed 20 ppt combined. During this presentation the following topic areas will be also covered: 1.Removal mechanisms of the PFAS treatment technologies focused on destruction, concentrating, and sequestration 2.'Off-the-shelf' and innovative treatment technologies 3.PFAS minimization as a primary management strategy and the fate and transport of PFAS when these substances are used Although most municipal wastewater utilities have not yet had to deal with PFAS issues, a proactive approach, starting with an initial PFAS risk evaluation is recommended. This initial risk evaluation is intended to provide municipal decision-makers with some idea of where their PFAS risks lie, as well as give them recommendations for next steps to inform proactive planning for PFAS response.