City to run PFAS membrane pilot on well water; staff say results should be known months after August arrival

City staff told the Infrastructure Task Force on June 2 that a mobile pilot system to test membranes for PFAS removal is scheduled to arrive in August 2025 and will run tests over the following months to help finalize membrane selection for the new water-treatment plant.

The issue matters for residents because the selected treatment approach determines how the plant will address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and whether additional equipment or process changes are required before full plant startup.

Staff said the pilot is a trailer containing several vessels, each fitted with a different membrane type. A utilities staff member explained: “They’re gonna bypass some of the well water to this trailer to do just do a pilot test. And they’re gonna try different kinds of membranes to see which 1 is more effective on the removal of PFAS.” The pilot will take samples at the outlet of each membrane vessel so staff can compare removal performance.

Staff said membranes make up roughly 70% of the new plant’s treatment train and ion exchange will comprise approximately 30%. The pilot aims to confirm whether the membranes planned for purchase will meet expected removal targets or whether a different membrane or adjusted operating pressure will be necessary. “You can change membranes. They’re all the same size. They go in the vessel and there just might be difference in the porosity of those membranes,” a staff member said.

A staff slide referenced by the task force indicated the trailer is expected on site by August 2025. Staff said the pilot will run for several months; earliest useful results could arrive in September or October 2025, though a fuller evaluation could continue beyond that.

Task force members raised timing concerns: if the pilot shows a need for different membranes or operating conditions late in the procurement process, that could affect the plant schedule. Staff said they are confident the membranes currently specified are likely to be sufficient, and the pilot is intended to reduce last-minute changes before mass membrane procurement and installation.

Panelists also noted recent federal action on PFAS. A staff member summarized that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency retained a 4 parts-per-trillion proposal as a benchline and extended compliance timelines for utilities; staff said the agency’s compliance window was broadly extended to 2031. City staff said that extension gives additional time for implementation planning but that Fort Lauderdale is proceeding with the pilot program now.

No formal decision was taken at the task force meeting; staff said they will report pilot results to the task force and commission when available.