Is removal and destruction of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances from wastewater effluent affordable?
PFAS destruction
PFAS treatment
cost burden
perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
wastewater affordability
water resource recovery facility (WRRF)
Journal
Water environment research : a research publication of the Water Environment Federation
ISSN: 1554-7531
Titre abrégé: Water Environ Res
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 9886167
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Jan 2024
Jan 2024
Historique:
revised:
10
11
2023
received:
04
08
2023
accepted:
13
12
2023
medline:
23
1
2024
pubmed:
23
1
2024
entrez:
23
1
2024
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Several jurisdictions are currently evaluating regulatory standards for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in municipal water resource recovery facility (WRRF) effluent. Effective and responsible implementation of PFAS effluent limits should consider the costs and capabilities of currently available technologies, because the costs of meeting WRRF PFAS limits could disproportionally fall to ratepayers. Cost curves were developed for currently available PFAS separation and destruction options, assuming effluent treatment targets near current analytical detection limits. Removing and destroying PFAS from municipal WRRF effluent is estimated to increase costs per household by a factor of between 2 and 210, using Minnesota-specific data as an example. Estimated costs per household would increase more for residents of smaller communities, averaging 33% of median household income (MHHI) in communities smaller than 1000 people. This exceeds the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-developed affordability index of 2% of MHHI by a factor of 16. Estimated costs per household to remove and destroy PFAS varied among locations, primarily based on WRRF and community size, median income, rural versus urban, and type of wastewater treatment processes currently used. PRACTITIONER POINTS: Required tertiary treatment before WRRF effluent PFAS separation, using currently available technologies, is a significant portion (~40-80%) of estimated costs. Adding PFAS separation, destruction, and pre-treatment would make Minnesota wastewater rates unaffordable (defined by EPA affordability guidance) without external funding. The estimated cost per household is higher for smaller communities and would require substantial external funding to maintain rate affordability. Design and operating uncertainties remain for full-scale WRRF retrofits to consistently remove and destroy effluent PFAS with limited full-scale applications.
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
e10975Subventions
Organisme : Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
ID : 2020-013
Informations de copyright
© 2024 The Authors. Water Environment Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Water Environment Federation.
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