ProjectX: GrayMatter Secures a Super-Sized Wi-Fi Solution for Discrete Manufacturer
April 11, 2024TechHub: New PFAS Rules Present Opportunity to Modernize Water System Testing & Reporting
New PFAS Rules
Water systems that aren't monitoring for PFAS have three years to begin doing so, under new U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rules that seek to remove “forever chemicals” from drinking water.
Systems can use water purification methods such as activated carbon filters or reverse osmosis to greatly reduce PFAS from drinking water, but thousands of U.S. water providers don’t have those technologies in place yet to control the six types of PFAS that fall under the new limits, according to NBC News and the EPA.
“One hundred million people will be healthier and safer because of this action,” EPA Administrator Michael Regan told NBC News on April 10 regarding water authorities that need to implement PFAS reduction measures.
Operationalizing PFAS Testing & Reporting
If a system is setting up or streamlining PFAS testing, reporting or purification methods, it can help to consult with a third-party expert that has done it before, said Rich Dreher, GM of Automation & Controls at GrayMatter, and a former system administrator at Palm Beach County Utilities.
Want to get started? Schedule a 15-minute check-in with GrayMatter on water system automation and monitoring:
“We can help you report on your PFAS levels based on information you receive from a lab, and we can help automate the processes that help take the PFAS out of your water, Dreher said.
The EPA says $1 billion is available in the form of grants from the 2021 federal infrastructure law to help public water systems carry out PFAS testing and treatment.
Dreher said his team helps water utility clients evaluate the costs of activated carbon and ion exchange, which are generally less expensive, versus reverse osmosis, which is more advanced but requires higher water pressures and more electricity.
The team also assists with integrating and regulating the solution in the context of the utility's downstream process.
Typically clients work with GrayMatter to agree on a process that includes design engineering, technology curation, implementation and testing and a real-time environmental risk reporting solution.
"It's an opportunity to help automate whatever process they choose to mitigate those chemicals," Dreher said.
Get Started
Talk to Our Team
Monday - Friday
08:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST