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Contract - Union County Yadkin River Water Treatment Plant PFAS Treatment Pilot Testing
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INFORMATION CONTACT:
John Shutak, Union County Water, Engineering Director, 704-283-3651
ACTION REQUESTED:
1) Adopt resolution to accept DWSRF-EC principal forgiveness loan funding in the amount of $500,000.00 from the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality Division of Water Infrastructure, 2) authorize the County Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement substantially consistent with this agenda item, and 3) adopt Capital Project Ordinance #402 in the amount of $510,000.00 to appropriate funding.
PRIOR BOARD ACTIONS:
1) 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.
2) February 17, 2026, Regular Meeting, Agenda Item #26-099 - Adopted resolution authorizing NCDEQ-DWI grant funding application for PFAS pilot testing study.
BACKGROUND:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established maximum contaminant limits for several PFAS compounds in drinking water. Preliminary sampling of the source raw water from Lake Tillery for the Yadkin River WTP has indicated that PFAS concentrations could have minor exceedances of the EPA limits. A desktop analysis of various PFAS treatment options has been completed, and pilot testing of these technologies was recommended by the study.
The North Carolina Department of Water Infrastructure (NCDEQ-DWI) has offered Union County $500,000.00 in grant funding to complete pilot testing of PFAS treatment technologies. The resolution accepts the terms of the funding offer in the amount of $500,000.00 from NCDEQ-DWI. The pilot testing will evaluate the effectiveness of granular activated carbon, ion exchange resin and novel sorbent media for the removal of PFAS compounds from the raw water supply for the Yadkin River WTP to meet the EPA regulatory limits for certain PFAS compounds for drinking water.
CDM Smith has been selected to provide engineering services for Task Order 8686-09 - Union County Yadkin River Water Treatment Plant PFAS Treatment Pilot Testing. CDM Smith was chosen from a list of vendors previously selected from RFQ 2024-021 - Engineering Services for Water and Wastewater System Improvements to provide these services for Union County Projects.
CPO #402 in the amount of $510,000.00 is necessary to appropriate the funding for the project. The principal forgiveness loan provides $500,000.00 of this funding that will be provided to the county by NCDEQ-DWI through reimbursement requests as the project progresses. The additional $10,000.00 of county funds is required to pay the 2% loan closing fee.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The total cost of the NCDEQ-DWI loan closing fee is $10,000.00. Sufficient funds are available in the Capital Account Program 60184525 - YRWSP PFAS Pilot Study with the adoption of CPO #402.