Council approves KDHE loan and procurement for PFAS pilot; officials hail research potential
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Summary
The council approved a KDHE loan, an internal fund transfer and an equipment procurement amendment to proceed with a supercritical water oxidation pilot project intended to treat biosolids and PFAS at the wastewater plant.
The City Council on Oct. 21 approved a loan agreement with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and related financial actions to fund a supercritical water oxidation pilot at the wastewater treatment plant, a technology city leaders say could destroy PFAS "forever chemicals."
The council approved three related items: an ordinance to accept KDHE loan funding for the pilot (item E), a transfer from the water and sewer capital-improvement fund to cover project costs (item F), and Amendment No. 1 with Garney Companies for equipment procurement for the pilot (item G). All passed on roll call, 7-0.
Councilmember Essex, who serves on a state water committee, called the pilot "a huge win for Olathe" and said the technology could provide answers to PFAS contamination that other approaches do not remove.
The items include a project identifier (PN1 C-19-25) and reflect the city's capital and procurement steps to launch a pilot-scale deployment with Quoted equipment procurement handled through Garney Companies, according to staff.
Why it matters: PFAS are persistent contaminants of concern for drinking water and wastewater; the pilot positions Olathe as an early adopter of an emerging technology that, if successful, could inform treatment options regionally.
What’s next: staff will execute the KDHE loan agreement, transfer funds, procure equipment and proceed with pilot installation and testing under the procurement amendment.
Ending: Council members applauded staff and state partners for securing the pilot; staff will report technical results as the pilot proceeds.
