One of the largest indirect potable reuse initiatives in the U.S. will soon deploy an ion exchange treatment system for the removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). At the Hampton Roads Sanitation District Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk, Virginia, these ‘forever chemicals' will be extracted from purified municipal wastewater to drinking water standards before recharging the Potomac Aquifer.

Source: De Nora

The SORB FX PFAS removal system supplied by water treatment technology developer Industrie De Nora is designed to treat up to 34 million gallons of water per day. Consisting of eleven 14-foot-diameter ion exchange vessels operating in parallel, the equipment is also designed to be easily modifiable for different media, allowing the system to accept future improved materials.

The media incorporated into the SORB FX scheme provide the highest effectiveness for PFAS removal to achieve non-detectable limits while reducing overall operating costs. It is specifically formulated to target PFAS whether they are long- or short-chain compounds.

Once operational, the PFAS removal system is expected to serve as a key component of the water utility’s advanced water reuse program, which has emerged as a national model for augmenting drinking water supplies through indirect potable reuse while addressing long-term water supply resilience. The facility is helping replenish eastern Virginia's primary groundwater source while addressing declining groundwater levels and saltwater intrusion.