The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency has been recognized for excellence in water treatment and innovation in addressing water industry issues by the Association of California Water Agencies. The agency was awarded the highly esteemed Clair A. Hill Award for its Valley Center Well PFAS Treatment Facility at the 2023 Spring Conference and Expo in Monterey this week.

The Clair A. Hill Award is one of the most prestigious honors bestowed by ACWA. SCV Water was recognized for its innovative approach to removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances from the Valley Center Well, which restores enough water to serve up to 1,000 families annually.

“We are honored to receive this prestigious award from ACWA,” said SCV Water Board President Gary Martin. “At SCV Water, we are committed to providing safe, clean water to our community, and the Valley Center Well PFAS Treatment Facility is a prime example of our dedication to excellence in water treatment.”

The Valley Center Well PFAS Treatment Facility, completed in Fall 2022, uses advanced technology to remove harmful contaminants from the water supply. The facility treats water through synthetic ion adsorption, a proven, cost-effective PFAS treatment option that uses activated carbon and ion exchange resin technology to effectively remove PFAS from the water, ensuring the safety of the water supply for the community.

“I am proud of the innovative approach our team took to remove PFAS from the water and to ensure the safety of our community’s water supply,” said General Manager Matt Stone. “Our aggressive PFAS treatment program has won multiple awards over the last three years, and is a reflection of a collaborative, inter-departmental teamwork.”

About half of the agency’s water supply comes from groundwater. At one point, 20 of the 42 active wells were offline due to this contaminant.

Since 2019, SCV Water’s team took a visionary approach to restore groundwater affected by PFAS through an innovative, three-pronged strategy: Treatment, technology and transparency. This approach has seen the completion of two projects (four wells) since 2019. Additional projects are in phases of planning and construction and will come online at the rate about one per year.

Additionally, a large-scale outreach plan was deployed to maintain customer confidence and understanding. Agency staff also track and weigh in on water policy developments and legal efforts surrounding PFAS.

“Our SCV Water team will stay ahead of the curve and continue to work quickly to safeguard our water supply from PFAS through ingenuity and commitment,” said Stone. “This restored water source will also build upon our drought resiliency efforts for years to come.”

The Clair A. Hill Award recognizes the Valley Center Well PFAS Treatment Facility as a model of excellence in water treatment, and highlights SCV Water’s dedication to providing safe, clean water to its community.

For more information about SCV Water and its Valley Center Well PFAS Treatment Facility, please visit https://www.yourscvwater.com/pfas/treatment-facilities/valley-center-well-water-treatment-facility.

SCV Water is a full-service regional water agency located in the Santa Clarita Valley. SCV Water provides water service to approximately 78,000 business and residential customers. More information can be found at www.yourSCVwater.com.