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Consultant tells committee PFAS is widespread; carbon treatment is available but not currently required
Summary
Councilwoman Mary Bingham asked whether the upgraded plant would treat PFAS. Consultant Mary Beth Bianconi said PFAS is pervasive, that granular activated carbon can remove PFAS, and that current plant design meets permit requirements though carbon could be added if regulations require it.
Mary Bingham, councilwoman for the Town of Monroe, asked whether the upgraded wastewater facility would treat per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) amid changing regulations.
Mary Beth Bianconi responded that PFAS has become widespread in the environment and that New York State began discrete drinking‑water monitoring in 2015. She explained that while PFAS can be removed by granular activated carbon, "wastewater treatment plants do not have carbon on them" in typical designs and that whatever PFAS comes in often leaves in effluent or is concentrated in sludge. Bianconi said there is ongoing state discussion about how to manage sludge because a lot of sludge is landfilled after dewatering.
Bianconi also highlighted that microplastics and endocrine disruptors (synthetic hormones from drugs) are emerging issues. She told the committee the current design meets existing permit requirements and that carbon treatment could be incorporated later if the state were to mandate it. "Carbon is an inexpensive way to address PFAS. It is something they can incorporate down the road," she said.
Why it matters: treatment choices have environmental and disposal implications; future regulation could require design changes and additional operating costs.
