Freeport council approves $41,000 PFAS study and moves ahead with $2.95M Phase 2 wastewater design
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Summary
City officials approved a Phase 1 PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) study costing $41,000 and authorized Phase 2 design work for wastewater upgrades (design cost $2.95 million) to meet new NPDES phosphorus and PFAS requirements; staff said construction would later total an estimated $45 million.
City Manager Rob Boyer and wastewater staff told the Freeport City Council on Nov. 17 that the city must begin required testing and design work to comply with updates in the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit.
“Tonight, what we’re asking for…is moving forward with the Phase 1 NPD or for our Phase 1 PFAS,” City Manager Rob Boyer said, presenting a study that staff estimated would cost $41,000. The Phase 1 work is a one-year, quarterly sampling program that includes point-source discharge sampling and biosolids testing to identify whether per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are entering receiving streams and where those inputs originate.
Darren, a wastewater engineer on staff, described the testing burden: “For each sample point, there’s 42 perfluorinated compounds that have to be tested for at the current time…This is a quarterly test at all the point sources in Freeport,” he said, noting samples are expensive because the laboratory analysis is specialized.
Boyer and staff emphasized the study is not a response to a current permit violation; rather, it is required because the EPA is moving to regulate PFAS in wastewater. “We are within current limits by our permit,” Boyer said, “however the EPA is saying that in the future they’re going to be regulating polyfluoroalkylide discharge…we have to do a study to see if we have any coming in, and if so where it’s coming from.”
Council also approved design-phase work for larger wastewater upgrades intended to meet a 2030 phosphorus limit of 0.5 milligrams per liter. Boyer laid out a longer-term plan: Phase 2 is primarily the phosphorus-removal design and is estimated to require $2,950,000 for design services; total Phase 2 construction was described as roughly $45,000,000 by staff. The work will likely increase sludge volumes and require new sludge-handling equipment, digesters and storage.
Boyer described efforts to offset costs with outside funding and said the city has pursued grants and state or federal dollars to help pay for major elements. “We will continue to pursue outside funding…we need to get the design done so we’re prepared and can show the EPA we’re moving along on their timetable,” he said.
Council action: the resolution to contract for the Phase 1 PFAS study and the resolution to proceed with Phase 2 design were both adopted by council during the meeting.
What’s next: staff will begin the Phase 1 sampling program and proceed with the Phase 2 design. Results from the PFAS testing will be used to identify point-source contributors and to develop remediation steps if PFAS are detected. Phase 2 construction scheduling and funding will be addressed in subsequent meetings as design work progresses.
