Veolia Makes Strides in the Fight Against PFAS in US Water

Date: April 5, 2024

Source: Veolia

Veolia, the largest private operator of water services in the United States, has reached a significant milestone in treating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in America's drinking water. With over 30 sites now reporting no detectable levels of regulated PFAS chemicals, Veolia's advanced efforts include new treatment installations at 17 drinking water wells in New York. The company is also expanding its initiatives with ongoing construction in four additional states, as part of its commitment to addressing PFAS contamination in drinking water supplies across the country. The U.S. has been a frontrunner in combating this challenge, with regulations in place in several states and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) set to introduce the first mandatory rules requiring treatment of specific PFAS in drinking water systems. PFAS reduction and treatment is still a relatively new process, and this development by Veolia represents a major step toward solutions that can be applied across the country.

Utilizing its global experience, Veolia can treat regulated PFAS at scale with proven systems based on its expertise in technologies such as activated carbon or nanofiltration. In the U.S., Veolia has treated over 2.1 billion gallons of drinking water using more than 1 million pounds of granular activated carbon and other materials that separate regulated PFAS and other contaminants from water, reducing their levels below the regulatory thresholds. Veolia has conducted nearly 10,000 water sample analyses in the U.S. in the past five years to determine and implement the best treatment options across various source water chemistries and site constraints. As the regulatory framework moves towards a proactive approach to dealing with PFAS, Veolia aims to draw on its operational expertise in the United States and its research capacities worldwide to fight against PFAS pollution and other micropollutants, offering efficient and affordable solutions at scale. Some estimates calculate that PFAS existsin roughly 45% of all US tap water, meaning this problem is urgent and dire. Veolia's work represents a major positive step towards addressing this issue. Hopefully, more firms will enter this new market and magnify the impact that Veolia is providing.

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