TITLE:title
Resolution - Per- & Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Pilot Testing NCDEQ-DWI Grant Funding
body
INFORMATION CONTACT:
John Shutak, Union County Water, Engineering Director, 704-283-3651
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Adopt Resolution to apply for North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Infrastructure (NCDEQ-DWI) grant funding for pilot testing of treatment technologies for the removal of the Per- & Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) from drinking water and 2) authorize the County Manager to execute all documentation necessary for the grant funding application.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
November 7, 2022, Regular Meeting, Agenda Item #22-776 - Approved CDM Smith Task Order 2020-2 for engineering services for an engineering concept study for PFAS treatment options evaluation.
BACKGROUND:
The Capital Improvement Program, as adopted by the Board of County Commissioners, includes the Water & Wastewater Master Planning Program for the purpose of incorporating system modifications, making changes in approach to providing water and wastewater service, and updating capital projects. Evaluation of the water treatment processes for the Catawba River WTP and Yadkin River WTP to meet current and proposed drinking water regulations is included in this program.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released PFAS maximum contaminant limits for drinking water on April 10, 2024. These new PFAS drinking water standards require public water systems to complete initial monitoring of PFAS levels in their drinking water by 2027, and the public water systems must be in compliance with the PFAS limits by 2029. Preliminary sampling of the source raw water for both the Catawba River WTP and Yadkin River WTP indicated that the PFAS concentrations in the raw water from these sources (Catawba River and Lake Tillery) have minor exceedances for some of the PFAS compounds.
A PFAS conceptual treatment analysis was completed to evaluate potential treatment options for removing PFAS from the drinking water to meet the new EPA requirements. Pilot testing of the treatment options evaluated in the study is the next step in determining the best treatment option for PFAS removal.
NCDEQ-DWI has emerging contaminants grant funding available for pilot testing of PFAS treatment technologies. This resolution authorizes the County Manager to execute and file an application with NCDEQ-DWI to request grant funding for completing the PFAS treatment pilot testing.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
None. Once implementation of the pilot testing commences, the County will submit requests for reimbursement to the State on a recurring basis until the grant funding is exhausted.