Small and Mid-Sized Drinking Water Utilities Need Rapid, Reliable Solutions to Meet the EPA’s Latest Regulations on PFAS
Written by: Nathan Smith, SVP, Marketing & Lifecycle Leader – Newterra
Small municipalities and drinking water utilities can partner with Newterra to rapidly and successfully deploy tailored, cost-effective solutions that work.
Not long ago, Newterra’s production facility in Heber Springs, AR produced its 1,000th ASME code-stamped vessel. This milestone, as significant an accomplishment as it may be for the dedicated Newterra employees who made it happen, is just one small step in Newterra’s mission to make water safe to drink for all current and future generations.
“We’ve known these regulations were coming. Our TIGG brand has been resolving trace contaminant issues for more than forty years. With the EPA’s recent announcements on new drinking water standards targeting PFAS compounds, we can proudly say that Newterra is ready to help our customers meet these challenges,” says Doug Conley, SVP of Sales for Newterra.
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a large family of chemicals known for their unique carbon-fluorine bond, giving them stain, water, heat, and friction resistance. These properties have made PFAS highly valued in a wide range of consumer products and industrial applications worldwide.
Modern society has subsequently become addicted to them, using PFAS extensively in everything from non-stick cookware and water-repellent clothing to firefighting foams and semiconductor manufacturing.
Their impact on human health is well documented. Once absorbed into the human body, they have a tendency to accumulate over time, compounding with continued exposure. And without an effective process to shed them, they can lead to significant health risks over prolonged periods, including cancers, liver damage, immune system disruption, thyroid dysfunction, reproductive issues, and developmental delays in children.
Enter the EPA’s most recent regulations. The new regulation establishes Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six PFAS chemicals: PFOA and PFOS are set at a stringent 4 parts per trillion, while PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and certain PFAS mixtures are limited to 10 parts per trillion. All public water systems are required to monitor PFAS levels and have three years to complete initial monitoring, with ongoing compliance monitoring thereafter. If levels exceed the set standards, these systems have up to five years to implement necessary treatments to reduce PFAS concentrations.
The aim of the new federal regulation is essentially to achieve undetectable PFAS levels in drinking water. To give one an idea of how serious this new standard is, it is analogous to the standards set today for lead contamination.
Newterra supports local utilities. At the local level, utilities need effective, cost-efficient solutions now, and they need partners with the expertise and track records they can rely upon.
The foundation of Newterra’s method for eliminating PFAS from water begins with a skilled team. Recognizing the uniqueness of each water system, Newterra supports thorough testing before initiating any treatment processes. Our application engineers and sales teams work closely with our customers to ensure that our tailored treatment solutions not only comply with regulations but are also specifically adapted to meet the unique needs each situation warrants. The EPA has acknowledged that granular activated carbon (GAC) is the “best available technology” for PFAS treatment, and Newterra boasts vast experience in addressing PFAS in various contexts, including drinking water, wastewater, and industrial applications. At Newterra, we excel by integrating the precise media and superior vessel systems through scientific approaches to address each unique problem with precision.
8 Tips for a Successful PFAS Removal Study
Newterra maintains its tailored approach across business solutions, offering Rapid Small Scale Column Tests, pilot studies, quick deployment of emergency or bridge solutions for urgent needs, systems sized to meet needs large and small, and in specific cases, providing Carbon As A Service as an alternative to traditional capital investments. Long-term lifecycle solutions through technical services, media exchanges and vessel swap programs ensure Newterra customers’ needs are met long after initial system start-up. Newterra is dedicated to delivering customized solutions to meet any water treatment challenge our customers face.
Newterra customers need not deal with this dilemma alone. The problem is global, but can only be addressed one community at a time.
