Groundwater Treatment to Remove PFAS: Restoring Local Drinking Water Supply in Orange County, California

Abstract

Ubiquitous occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in conventionally treated wastewater and the environment can result in drinking water supplies with concentrations exceeding local guidance values and/or regulatory limits. Swift design and implementation of treatment to remove PFAS from groundwater is underway in north and central Orange County, Calif., using ion exchange or granular activated carbon systems at the wellhead. Addressing PFAS places a major economic burden on water wholesalers and retailers; in this case, treatment will increase the cost that north and central Orange County water retailers pay for groundwater. This local supply will remain less costly than purchasing treated imported surface water as an alternative.