Promising Results From Wasuau's PFAS Testing

Friday, May 6th, 2022 -- 8:01 AM

(Mike Leischner, WSAU) Further confirmation that Wasuau's PFAS bench testing is bringing promising results came on Tuesday during the Water Works Commission meeting.

Andrew Dow with Donohue says single-use Ion exchange filtration has shown some of the best results: “We’ve seen, to date, non-detectable of all 33 PFAS compounds”.

He says another method, regenerable ion exchange, is also showing good results but has some inconsistencies. “The combined concentration has remained below 20 parts per trillion. However, the concentrations have not been consistently non-detect, below the detection limit. There has been some detection of certain compounds.”

Dow says testing will continue for a few more weeks with another update coming in June. “Partly to collect more information about the PFAS performance with the regenerable ion exchange process that is designed for the new facility.”

Dow says they are also investigating solutions that could be implemented before a long-term solution is settled- that's powder activated carbon which can be quickly implemented but does come with one drawback. “The PFAS that’s removed at the water plant will end up going to the waste water plant and end up in the biosolids and having an impact on the PFAS concentrations in the biosolids there.”

In the meantime the city continues to distribute filters and pitchers to residents concerned about the levels of PFAS in the water supply, which exceed the health department's recommendations of 20 parts per trillion.

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