AECOM is assisting the client with a study of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) for their Industrial Pretreatment Program for PFAS Initiative. These investigations advanced understanding of the potential PFAS impacts in many industrial discharges, WWTPs, and agricultural fields where biosolids were land applied. Other states have relied on Michigan data to implement similar PFAS initiatives. The team assisted with presentations to other states/the US EPA and a research project conducted in collaboration with EPA into fume suppressants used by electroplaters and metal finishers (a major PFAS sources to WWTPs in Michigan).

AECOM developed PFAS sampling guidance, and collected:

• 301 samples from 22 agricultural fields
• 201 samples of the liquid and solid process flows from 42 WWTPs

We evaluated results from:

• 1,200 samples/80 WWTPs and potential sources to WWTPs
• Over 2,000 samples collected from 574 industrial discharges

AECOM assisted EGLE in securing an EPA multi-purpose grant for 2021 and 2022 to continue PFAS source investigation and reduction efforts, evaluate the effectiveness of controls implemented, and evaluate potential impacts from discharges and land application of biosolids containing PFAS to waters of the state to ensure the protection of public health and the environment.

Study Benefits The study provides better insight into PFAS concentrations within WWTPs, and the potential fate within the WWTPs . The results from the study offers insight into the presence and speciation of PFAS within facilities and potential liability that WWTPs may have to address for compliance with future surface water criteria or disposal of final treated solids, including beneficial reuse through the land application of biosolids. The study also provides insight into the nature of the PFAS loading at these facilities and potential sources where pretreatment mitigation strategies may be employed.

Read the full report here to get some insight into how PFAS moves in wastewater treatment plants and potential mitigation measures.