DU drinking water in EPA compliance; Phase 2 PFAS treatment study approved

The Decatur City Council has approved a $1.13 Million expenditure requested by Decatur Utilities to conduct Phase 2 of the PFAS* On-Site pilot study at the DU Water Treatment Plant. This study - being conducted by Jacobs Engineering – is due to the 2024 EPA National Primary Drinking Water Standards for PFAS compounds in drinking water as well as other emerging contaminants. The study will be paid for through a $1.5 million grant from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF).

“DU’s Water Treatment Plant does not currently have treatment technology capable of removing PFAS.  However, we’re encouraged to see that our drinking water has consistently remained well under the EPA limit of 4.0 Parts-Per-Trillion (PPT) for PFAS,” said Ray Hardin, General Manager of Decatur Utilities.   “We want to be proactive and identify the best possible future treatment alternatives for these and other emerging contaminants.”

Phase 2 of the study will include full-scale, on-site pilot testing of five treatment technology alternatives designed to address emerging contaminants and specifically PFAS compounds.

In July 2022, ADEM requested that DU begin reporting quarterly PFAS data.  DU’s average quarterly level since that time has been 2.21 for PFOA and 2.46 for PFOS. 

 “Completion of this study ensures that DU will continue to provide our customers with drinking water that surpasses all State and Federal mandates for quality,” said Hardin.

For reference, a Part-Per-Trillion is the equivalent of:

·         One drop of water in 13.2 million gallons (20 Olympic swimming pools)

·         One second in 32,000 years.

·         One inch in 16 million miles.

‎* PFAS - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances including PFOA

** - Perfluorooctanoic Acid and PFOS

*** - Perfluorooctane Sulfonate