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Durham staff recommend activated‑carbon treatment as PFAS solution; public outreach planned
Summary
City water staff presented a PFAS (per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances) study and recommended powdered activated carbon (PAC) as a treatment approach, with design work and a public outreach event scheduled for mid‑July.
Durham City water staff told the City Council they have completed a study of per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in local water sources and recommended powdered activated carbon (PAC) as the preferred near‑term treatment option while the city continues to monitor evolving technologies.
Lori Montgomery, senior engineer in the water management department, said the city’s raw water sources contained elevated PFAS concentrations that existing treatment plants do not remove. She told the council the study identified PAC as a cost‑effective treatment for Durham’s concentrations and water‑system configuration and that staff will move toward design and construction work under an existing consultant contract amendment.
Why it matters: PFAS are a class of synthetic chemicals that have drawn regulatory attention and potential future limits. The city’s choice will affect capital and operating budgets, treatment‑plant construction and public‑health messaging.
Key details - Treatment recommendation: Staff recommended powdered activated carbon (PAC) to reduce PFAS concentrations at Durham’s Brown water treatment plant and said PAC is a technology the city already uses for taste and odor control. - Timing: Montgomery said the city expects to continue design work this fiscal year and that the Environmental Protection Agency had signaled an extended compliance timeline that gives additional time for design; staff aim to reach key design milestones and hold a public outreach event on July 15 to share findings and next steps. - Technology outlook: Staff said PAC will address current regulatory needs and that research continues on destruction technologies and other advanced treatments; they said the city will keep evaluating options after PAC installation.
Councilors asked when compliance would be achieved; staff said an implementation target in the 2028 timeframe is plausible under current assumptions. Officials also said the city will begin public outreach and education about PFAS sources and reductions, noting that household choices and product manufacturing contribute to environmental PFAS loads.
Ending: The council received the study and the staff recommendation to proceed to the next design phase and public outreach; staff said they would return with implementation timelines and design details as the project advances.
