Carollo Engineers collaborated with the Water Research Foundation (WRF) on project no. 5082.
Project completion was announced on August 6, 2024. Project #5082 is a study that provides water utilities with practical, cost-effective strategies to assess and mitigate PFAS contamination.
PFAS can enter the water supply through the use of everyday consumer products, industrial wastewater, seepage of firefighting foams into groundwater, and leachate from landfills.
The project, entitled “Investigating Alternative Management Strategies to Prevent PFAS Entry into Drinking Water Supplies and Wastewater,” was led by Carollo in collaboration with numerous utilities, academic institutions and consultants.
The research took a comprehensive, systems-level approach and carefully examined PFAS sources in wastewater, surface water, and groundwater treated by utilities across the United States to gather important information.
Key aspects of the study include:
- Surveys on utilities’ monitoring, tracking, and mitigation practices for PFAS.
- Sampling in the collection systems of several wastewater treatment plants to understand the relative importance of industrial and domestic sources.
- Sampling in multiple watersheds to understand the relative importance of direct sources and sources via wastewater treatment systems.
- Summarize these findings in an actionable guide for utilities.
The study provides important insights for setting national policy priorities on PFAS. While it is important to address PFAS sources before they enter our water systems, research shows that consumption of everyday products is the primary contributor of PFAS in water and wastewater systems.
This pattern supposedly applies to three key areas:
- Groundwater: Leaking landfills are the most common source of PFAS contamination.
- Wastewater systems: PFAS from domestic sources contribute more mass than industrial sources.
- Surface water: The predominant route for PFAS to enter surface water is through sewage systems.
The published study can provide utilities with step-by-step guidance for identifying PFAS sources, including recommendations for sampling and analysis to assess the severity and potential impacts of PFAS contamination.
