(Clifton, N.J. – November 1, 2024) – Passaic Valley Water Commission (PVWC) recently took a leadership role in addressing the pressing issue of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination by hosting a collaborative meeting with utilities and water companies from across the United States. In attendance were experts from Cape Fear Public Utility Authority (North Carolina), Greater Cincinnati Water Works (Ohio), Orange County Water District (California), New York City Department of Environmental Protection, North Jersey District Water Supply Commission, Veolia, Ridgewood Water, Middlesex Water, Aqua and American Water (NJ).
The two-day session included a mix of presentations, case study discussions, and open forums designed to encourage collaboration on monitoring, treatment, and long-term management of PFAS, also known as ‘forever chemicals.’ These manufactured chemicals can be found in food packaging, non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, stain resistant carpets and firefighting foam. Over time, PFAS naturally breaks down and accumulates in air, soil and water and can be ingested by the human body. Identified health risks include reproductive issues, developmental delays in children, increased cancer risks, compromised immune function, hormonal interference, elevated cholesterol, and liver damage.
Last April, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) issued the first-ever national, legally enforceable drinking water standard to protect communities from exposure to PFAS.
“We are committed to providing our communities with safe, clean water, and addressing PFAS contamination is central to that commitment,” said PVWC Executive Director Jim Mueller. “By bringing together some of the nation’s leading water utilities and companies, we are fostering an environment of collaboration that will drive innovation and improve our ability to tackle this shared challenge.”
PVWC would like to remind its customers that it has been successfully removing PFAS since August 2022, when the company completed the installation of a resin ion exchange system to remove high levels of PFAS in West Milford’s Nosenzo Pond well system. This system complies with the new federal regulations for PFAS.
The difference between Nosenzo Pond and the PVWC Little Falls Water Treatment Plant (LFWTP) is the volume of water treated. Since the amount of water treated is significantly larger at the LFWTP (80 million gallons per-day), PVWC worked with an external consultant, Cornwell Engineers, and the Water Research Foundation (WRF), to develop a pilot testing program to evaluate options to remove additional PFAS at the LFWTP. The pilot began operation in February 2024 and WRF began a national peer review using subject matter experts to review the methodology of the pilot testing program and validate the results. PVWC will be using the results of the pilot program to identify optimization opportunities for the existing treatment process as well as necessary upgrades to comply with the new PFAS standards by the 2029 deadline.
Additionally, PVWC recently awarded global engineering company Black and Veatch, who also attended the two-day session, with a $2 million contract for the planning and basis of design for a full-scale PFAS treatment facility at the LFWTP.
Do you have questions about PFAS or need further assistance from PVWC? You can contact our dedicated Customer Service team at 973-340-4300.
###
Passaic Valley Water Commission, recipient of the 2023 Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies Gold Award for exceptional utility performance, serves over 800,000 consumers in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris and Passaic counties. Please follow us on X (@PVWC), Instagram (@passaic_valley_water) and/or Facebook (@thePVWC).
