SCV Water received the final permit to serve water from its first per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) water treatment facility; water from the project hit the taps of Santa Clarita Valley residents this week.

The facility, located adjacent to the Hart Fields parking lot, is one of the first PFAS treatment facilities in California and restores groundwater wells affected by PFAS chemicals to about 5,000 households annually.

“Our goal is putting the health and safety of our customers first and ensuring they receive safe and reliable water,” said Matt Stone, SCV Water’s general manager . “Early on, we made the forward-thinking decision to add several water treatment facilities to eliminate PFAS in our water supply. We’re pleased that our first facility is complete and ready to deliver a reliable water supply to our community.”

Project highlights:

– Project cost: $6 million

– Annual operating cost: $600,000

– Up to 6,250 gallons of water per minute (gpm) or enough on average to restore water
affected by PFAS chemicals to about 5,000 households annually

– Three key wells impacted by PFAS back in service

– Facility treats water though synthetic ion-exchange adsorption, a proven PFAS treatment
option

– Six vessels as well as pumps, motors and ancillary equipment

– A chloramine disinfection facility located in an enclosed building within the fenced area. Chloramination (chlorine and ammonia) is a more desirable disinfection process used by SCV Water and other water agencies across the nation. The chloramine remains in the distribution system longer, produces fewer disinfection by-products and has fewer taste and odor concerns than free chlorine.

This month, SCV Water’s second PFAS water treatment facility at the Valley Center Well also received the green light to begin construction. This facility as well as two other PFAS water treatment facilities will be up and running in 2022. Combined, the additional treatment facilities will restore water about equal to the annual use of 4,000 families.

“These new water treatment facilities are an investment in our long-term water supply and provide safe, high-quality water to thousands of Santa Clarita Valley residents,” said Stone. “We look forward to continuing to bring more projects online.”

About PFAS:
PFAS substances are a group of manmade chemicals that are prevalent in the environment and were commonly used in industrial and consumer products to repel grease, moisture, oil, water and stains. Water agencies do not put these chemicals into the water, but over time very small amounts enter the water supplies through manufacturing, wastewater discharge and product use. Exposure to these chemicals may cause adverse health effects. For more information and resources on PFAS, visit www.yourSCVwater.com/pfas.

About SCV Water:
The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to approximately 74,000 business and residential customers. It was formed on January 1, 2018, when local water suppliers combined into one integrated, regional water provider. More information can be found at www.yourSCVwater.com. For more information, contact Kathie Martin, SCV Water’s public information officer at kmartin@scvwa.org.