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Tampa Bay Water approves Phase‑1 PFAS and TOC treatment projects and design pilot work amid EPA uncertainty
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Summary
The board approved Phase‑1 PFAS reduction and total organic carbon (TOC) reduction projects at five sites and authorized design work for a surface‑water pilot, including a negotiated design services agreement with Veolia for about $1.8 million. Staff said projects would improve disinfection residual stability and help meet anticipated EPA PFAS limits, though timing remains uncertain due to litigation.
Tampa Bay Water’s board unanimously approved moving forward with Phase‑1 water quality projects to reduce PFAS and total organic carbon (TOC) at five sites across the regional system and authorized design and pilot work to prepare for potential EPA regulations.
Warren Hogg, presenting the findings of an updated regional water quality study, said staff recommends PFAS reduction treatment at three locations — the regional surface water treatment plant and two Brandon urban dispersed well treatment sites — and TOC reduction at two well fields with elevated organic carbon concentrations. "These projects support long‑term regulatory compliance and strengthen chloramine disinfection residuals across the region," Hogg said.
Hogg noted the EPA has signaled an intent to set a 4 parts‑per‑trillion limit for PFOS and PFOA but that the rule and compliance dates are subject to litigation; staff said design work would proceed cautiously and construction would await regulatory certainty. "We will implement these projects in a stepwise manner, especially with the EPA PFAS regulation still as subject of litigation," Hogg said.
The board also approved a negotiated design contract with Veolia to establish an interim and permanent pilot at the surface water treatment plant to test PFAS and TOC removal options. Staff described the contract value as roughly $1.8 million (the public presentation and subsequent discussion contained two close figures: $1,830,000 and $1,800,000). Staff said pilot and design funds would come from a PFAS settlement litigation fund the agency received.
Board members asked about vendor availability and litigation risk; Hogg said ion exchange and granular activated carbon are proven technologies and that multiple contractors would likely be interested in design and construction work. The board voted unanimously to approve the projects and to begin design procurement steps.
What’s next: staff will proceed with design and pilot procurement, return contracts for board review when construction is recommended, and develop interim measures if the EPA implementation timeline remains firm.
