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Emerging Contaminants

PFAS Treatment Systems

Fliteway designs and fabricates custom treatment systems for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in groundwater and drinking water. With 20 PFAS projects completed and growing demand driven by tightening federal and state regulations, our engineering team delivers treatment solutions that meet the most stringent PFAS discharge limits.

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Understanding PFAS Contamination

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of more than 14,000 synthetic fluorinated chemicals that have been manufactured and used globally since the 1940s. Their applications include firefighting foams (aqueous film-forming foam, or AFFF), non-stick cookware, water-resistant textiles, food packaging, and industrial processes such as chrome plating and semiconductor manufacturing.

The defining characteristic of PFAS is the carbon-fluorine bond, one of the strongest in organic chemistry. This bond makes PFAS extraordinarily persistent in the environment. PFAS do not break down through natural degradation processes, which is why they are widely referred to as “forever chemicals.” Once released into the environment, PFAS migrate through soil and groundwater, contaminating drinking water sources and accumulating in ecosystems and biological tissues.

PFAS contamination has been identified at thousands of sites across the United States, with particularly high concentrations near military bases and Department of Defense installations (due to extensive AFFF use), commercial airports, firefighter training areas, and industrial facilities. The EPA and state regulatory agencies are actively developing and enforcing increasingly stringent limits for PFAS in drinking water and groundwater, creating an urgent need for effective and reliable treatment technologies.

PFAS Treatment Technologies

Fliteway designs PFAS treatment systems using proven technologies that are effective at removing PFAS to parts-per-trillion concentrations required by current and emerging regulations.

GAC Adsorption

Granular activated carbon (GAC) removes PFAS through physical adsorption onto the highly porous carbon surface. GAC is the most widely deployed technology for PFAS treatment and is effective at removing longer-chain PFAS compounds including PFOA and PFOS.

  • •Lead-lag vessel configurations for continuous operation
  • •Bituminous coal-based carbon optimized for PFAS adsorption
  • •Vessel sizes from 55-gallon drums to 20,000-pound bulk vessels
  • •Also removes co-occurring VOCs and other organic compounds

Ion Exchange (IX) Resin

Single-use ion exchange resins engineered specifically for PFAS removal provide superior capacity and lower effluent concentrations compared to GAC for many PFAS compounds, particularly short-chain species.

  • •Higher PFAS capacity than GAC, resulting in longer run times
  • •Effective for both long-chain and short-chain PFAS
  • •Selective resins minimize interference from natural organic matter
  • •Can be combined with GAC in a multi-barrier treatment train

High-Pressure Membrane Systems

Nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO) membranes provide near-complete removal of all PFAS compounds by physically excluding molecules larger than the membrane pore size.

  • •Greater than 99% removal of all PFAS species
  • •Effective for short-chain PFAS that challenge GAC and IX
  • •Generates concentrated reject stream requiring further treatment
  • •Higher capital and operating cost than adsorptive technologies

Fliteway PFAS Treatment Capabilities

Our PFAS treatment experience spans military installations, municipal water systems, industrial facilities, and environmental remediation sites. Fliteway provides end-to-end PFAS treatment solutions from initial water quality assessment through system commissioning and long-term operational support.

Custom Treatment Train Design

Every PFAS treatment system is designed based on detailed water quality analysis, including a full suite of PFAS analytes (EPA Method 533 or 537.1), competing organics (TOC, DOC), inorganics (hardness, iron, manganese), and the applicable regulatory limits. We select the optimal combination of pretreatment, primary treatment, and polishing technologies to achieve reliable compliance at the lowest life-cycle cost.

Rental Systems for Interim Treatment

PFAS regulatory timelines often demand immediate action while permanent treatment facilities are being designed and constructed.Fliteway provides rental PFAS treatment systems in containerized configurations that can be deployed rapidly to provide interim treatment. Rental systems are available with GAC, ion exchange, or combination treatment trains. Visit our equipment rental page for more information on rental availability.

Pilot Testing and Treatability Studies

Before committing to a full-scale treatment system, pilot testing can confirm treatment performance with the actual source water.Fliteway provides pilot-scale PFAS treatment systems for on-site testing to verify media selection, determine bed volumes to breakthrough, and optimize system design parameters. Pilot data reduces risk and informs cost-effective full-scale design decisions.

Proven Project Experience

Fliteway has completed 20 PFAS treatment projects including systems for defense installations and municipal water systems. Our experience includes treatment of AFFF-impacted groundwater with complex PFAS profiles containing dozens of individual PFAS analytes, high-flow drinking water treatment systems, and interim rental systems deployed under tight regulatory deadlines.

Controls and Monitoring Integration

PFAS treatment systems require reliable automation and monitoring for consistent performance. Fliteway integrates PLC-based control systems with flow monitoring, pressure differential measurement, sample ports, and remote monitoring capability so operators can track system performance and predict media changeout schedules.

PFAS Regulatory Landscape

The regulatory framework for PFAS is rapidly evolving at both the federal and state levels. Understanding current and emerging regulations is critical for designing treatment systems that will remain compliant over their operational lifetime.

Federal Standards

The EPA has finalized Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for six PFAS compounds under the Safe Drinking Water Act, including individual limits of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS. The EPA has also designated PFOA and PFOS as hazardous substances under CERCLA (Superfund), triggering cleanup obligations at contaminated sites. Additional regulatory actions, including PFAS effluent limitations for industrial dischargers, are under development.

State Regulations

Many states have adopted PFAS standards more stringent than federal limits or have regulated additional PFAS compounds beyond the EPA list. State-specific groundwater standards, surface water quality criteria, and soil cleanup levels vary significantly across jurisdictions. Fliteway designs treatment systems to meet the most stringent applicable limits, whether federal or state, to provide maximum compliance flexibility over the life of the system.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are PFAS and why are they called forever chemicals?
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a family of more than 14,000 synthetic fluorinated chemicals manufactured since the 1940s. They are used in firefighting foams (AFFF), non-stick coatings, water-resistant textiles, food packaging, and industrial processes. The carbon-fluorine bond in PFAS is one of the strongest in organic chemistry, making these compounds extraordinarily resistant to heat, water, grease, and biological degradation. Because PFAS do not break down through natural processes and persist indefinitely in the environment and in the human body, they are widely referred to as "forever chemicals." PFAS exposure has been linked to increased cancer risk, thyroid disease, immune system suppression, reproductive issues, and developmental effects in children.
How are PFAS removed from water?
The primary proven technologies for PFAS removal from water are granular activated carbon (GAC) adsorption, ion exchange (IX) resin, and high-pressure membrane systems including nanofiltration and reverse osmosis. GAC is effective at removing longer-chain PFAS compounds such as PFOA and PFOS but has limited capacity for short-chain PFAS. Ion exchange resins engineered specifically for PFAS can achieve lower effluent concentrations and higher capacity than GAC, particularly for short-chain species. High-pressure membranes can remove virtually all PFAS but produce a concentrated reject stream requiring further treatment. Fliteway designs multi-technology treatment trains that combine these approaches based on the specific PFAS compounds present, their concentrations, co-occurring contaminants, and the required effluent quality.
What are the current EPA PFAS limits for drinking water?
The EPA has established Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) for several PFAS compounds under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The final rule sets individual MCLs of 4 parts per trillion (ppt) for PFOA and PFOS, and uses a Hazard Index approach for mixtures of PFHxS, PFNA, HFPO-DA (GenX), and PFBS. Many states have adopted even more stringent standards or have regulated additional PFAS compounds beyond the federal list. These extremely low regulatory limits, measured in parts per trillion, require treatment systems with high-performance media, adequate contact time, and sufficient bed volumes to achieve reliable compliance over the full operational life of the system.
Is PFAS treatment equipment available for rental?
Yes, Fliteway offers PFAS treatment systems for short-term and long-term rental. Rental PFAS systems are ideal for several scenarios: interim treatment during design and construction of permanent systems, emergency response to newly detected PFAS contamination, pilot testing to evaluate treatment performance before committing to a permanent installation, and temporary treatment during construction activities that may mobilize PFAS. Rental systems are available in containerized configurations with GAC and/or ion exchange media, pre-plumbed and ready for rapid deployment. Contact our team to discuss rental availability, system sizing, and lead times for your project.
What is the difference between GAC and ion exchange for PFAS treatment?
GAC and ion exchange (IX) are both adsorptive technologies but operate through different mechanisms. GAC removes PFAS through physical adsorption onto the porous carbon surface and is well suited for longer-chain PFAS (C8 and above). However, GAC has limited capacity for short-chain PFAS and requires more frequent changeouts at sites with high PFAS concentrations or competing natural organic matter. IX resins use selective functional groups to target PFAS through electrostatic attraction. Single-use IX resins designed specifically for PFAS can achieve lower effluent concentrations and have higher PFAS capacity than GAC, resulting in longer run times between changeouts and lower operating costs per volume treated. Many treatment trains use IX as the primary treatment stage with GAC as a polishing step to provide a multi-barrier approach.

Discuss Your PFAS Treatment Project

Whether you are responding to a regulatory order, planning a permanent treatment facility, or need interim rental treatment, our engineering team is ready to help. Contact us with your PFAS analytical data and treatment objectives.

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