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Board approves $395,000 work order to test groundwater as part of PFAS planning
Summary
The Evansville utility board approved a $394,918.64 work order to Intra Incorporated to drill and test groundwater near the city’s water plant, a step staff said could identify groundwater to blend with surface water and reduce future PFAS treatment costs.
The Evansville Water and Sewer Utility Board voted Aug. 20 to approve a work order to Intra Incorporated for $394,918.64 to support groundwater testing and early-stage planning related to PFAS regulation compliance.
Unidentified staff (Speaker 8) told the board the utility needs a three-step program: test groundwater quality, assess subsurface formations (sand/gravel content) and run pump tests to measure yield. He said those steps would determine whether groundwater can be blended with surface water to lower PFAS concentrations and potentially avoid large capital investments in treatment. “If we can find the water, we want to go explore, and potentially that becomes our planning,” the presenter said.
Speaker 8 outlined potential savings as an example of why the testing matters: “It could save $60,000,000 in capital costs and another $40,000,000 over 20 years,” he said in the meeting transcript. The presenter and another staff speaker (Speaker 9) described subsequent modeling to determine wellfield siting and interactions between wells and the river; staff said they would use consultants on groundwater modeling and consider wellhead protection areas and other regulatory constraints.
Board members asked whether the requested amount would be sufficient and how much additional outside consulting would be needed. Staff said the work order is intended to provide the data needed for modeling and that, if specialized help is later required, they would return to the board for further approvals.
The board approved the work order by voice vote. Staff said test results and modeling would inform future planning and compliance steps with the IURC/OUCC process.
Next steps: Intra Inc. will proceed with drilling and pump-testing work; staff will model results with consultants and report back to the board.
