OWASA officials outline PFAS treatment plan, 10‑year capital needs and bill‑relief proposal

Owasa staff described plans to remove PFAS from drinking water, outlined a 10‑year capital program that could total $453 million and asked county leaders whether the county would support a sustained water‑bill relief program.

The utility presentation, given by Owasa staff including Michael Hughes and Mary Tiger, said trace concentrations of PFAS linked to historical land application of biosolids in the Cane Creek watershed prompted pilot testing of new treatment media and a proposal to build new process facilities at the Jones Ferry Road water plant. The federal Environmental Protection Agency last year set a 4 parts‑per‑trillion limit for several PFAS chemicals to be achieved in drinking water by 2029, Owensa staff said.

Why it matters: Meeting the upcoming federal limits will require new treatment facilities and a replacement of a deteriorated clear well at the Jones Ferry plant, staff said. The utility offered three rate‑path options and said a slower, more spread‑out approach would reduce short‑term rate…