Kennebunkport and Wells Water District to Remove PFAS with Evoqua’s Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) System

PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Kennebunkport, ME, Kennebunkport & Wells Water District (KKWD) will remove perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) from its water source using an Activated Carbon System from Evoqua Water Technologies (NYSE:AQUA).

PFAS is a category of man-made chemicals that have been widely used to make products because of their stain-resistant, waterproof and/or nonstick properties, but are not safe for consumption beyond certain levels.

In 2016 PFOS and PFOA were detected in the Kennebunk River Well (KRW) at levels of 50 parts-per-trillion (ppt). Although the well contained less than the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recommended combined limit of 70 ppt, officials decided against further use of the well without a treatment system for the compounds, and closed the well as a precautionary measure.

KKWD tested multiple types of GAC, and ultimately decided on Evoqua’s patented AquaCarb® 1230CX enhanced coconut-based carbon, paired with Evoqua’s HP1220SYS® high-pressure liquid-phase adsorption system.

This new system will be installed at the well site in Kennebunkport, Maine and is scheduled to be online and treating water in time for peak summer demand during the coastal vacation season. “Our initial goal was that if we couldn’t continuously reach non-detect levels of both PFAS and PFOA, we would still produce drinking water with levels below that of any regulated limit anywhere in the nation. Our goal now is to continuously produce drinking water with non-detect levels,” says Norm Labbe, KKWD, Superintendent. “With Evoqua’s lead-lag system we should have no problem.”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will host a National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. this week to take action on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS). During the summit, participants will work together to:

• Share information on ongoing efforts to characterize risks from PFAS and develop monitoring and treatment/cleanup techniques;
• Identify specific near-term actions, beyond those already underway, that are needed to address challenges currently facing states and local communities; and
• Develop risk communication strategies to address public concerns with PFAS.