In Alaska, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were discovered in private wells downgradient of several regional airports—where fire training was conducted with PFAS-containing fire-fighting foam. The Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities (DOT&PF) hired Barr and local consultant Shannon and Wilson to assist with immediate, short-term, and long-term response actions for treating these drinking-water supplies.
Immediate actions include an assessment of cost-effective remedial actions related to designing and implementing individual or multiple-user treatment systems. Short-term actions include design and procurement assistance for point-of-entry treatment systems (POETs) at each location. Long-term actions include an evaluation of operation and maintenance options and preparation of a draft agreement between the DOT&PF and individual property owners that addresses the life of the system.
After a water treatment action plan for the first affected community was prepared and approved by the DOT&PF, Barr coordinated equipment procurement and installation. The POET technologies include pretreatment for iron and manganese using ion-exchange water softeners, removal of PFAS using granular activated carbon, arsenic removal using an arsenic-specific adsorption media, and pathogen treatment using ultraviolet disinfection. POETs for the first affected community were installed less than six months after project initiation.
Learn more about our PFAS engineering and environmental capabilities.