Archived News Release: December 1, 2023 - What is being done to protect Ann Arbor drinking water from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (P FAS)?
Ann Arbor Water staff are confident our drinking water is safe from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (P FAS) because we installed granular activated carbon (GAC) treatment for PFAS, one of the best technologies that exist today for removal of PFAS. We are confident in this this technology because it has proven reliable for PFAS removal for many years in countless applications across the globe and is considered one of the best available technologies recommended for water utilities. Furthermore, we installed our own pilot filters, tested several GAC medias ourselves, and selected the GAC filter media that was most effective at removing PFAS.
Ann Arbor Water continues to meet all PFAS regulations in our finished drinking water, we already meet the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) proposed PFAS regulations, and are watching closely for regulatory developments as Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for several PFAS are expected to be finalized by the EPA in the coming year. We are also monitoring our PFAS concentrations regularly with the best methods that exist, achieving the lowest possible detection limits, and posting that data for our customers on our website. We are watching for any new discoveries in the analytical technology for PFAS and will evaluate newer methods if they are developed and proven to be reliable.
Part of our approach to addressing emerging contaminants such as PFAS is to participate in research to ensure Ann Arbor Water is using the best available technology and tools to remove contaminants from our source waters. Our research has not only led us to select one of the best available technologies for PFAS removal for municipal water systems, but has also enabled us to optimize replacement of our filter media. The GAC in our filters is regenerated every three years at an average cost of $250,000 per year to ensure maximum PFAS removal. We will continue to participate in PFAS research projects to ensure you, our customers, have access to the best and most current solutions and technology.
New dashboard to view monitoring data for P FAS
Ann Arbor Water recently launched a new dashboard to provide you with our PFAS monitoring results. Instead of the tables of data we previously provided as pdfs, our new dashboard allows you to view and download data.
