Photo By Senior Airman Steven Cardo | A team of contractors install a new base well water treatment system at Shaw Air Force...... read more read more
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SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. — Over the last two years, the 20th Fighter Wing facilitated modifications to a drinking-water well system on base, Base Well 3, installing a filtration system to reduce the presence of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS below regulatory levels set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
PFAS are synthetic chemical compounds used widely in various commercial and industrial applications, including firefighting foam. Originally installed in 1962, Base Well 3 is one of the five drinking water wells that supply the installation. Capable of delivering 500 gallons per minute, it is a significant resource for the base, but was taken offline in 2022 after elevated levels of PFAS were detected. The new water treatment system is specifically designed to address these compounds.
“The primary function of Base Well 3 is to supply potable water for use on Shaw. This means water that meets all regulatory requirements and that is safe to drink,” said Charley Peyton, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron environmental compliance chief. “Shaw selected the treatment system that was demonstrated to be the most efficient and complete way of removing PFAS from drinking water. The system was robustly designed to not only reduce PFAS below regulatory limits, but [bring the levels below] the detection limits of the laboratories that test drinking water by the EPA methods.”
The Base Well 3 treatment system filters PFAS by capturing and binding the molecules to small resin beads. The bead tanks in the new ion exchange resin system are designed to last three to five years before the resin will need to be replaced.
A separate ground water treatment plant is located on base to treat the main concentration of PFAS under the installation, removing PFAS from groundwater that could reach any of the base wells or that may leave the base. The plant uses similar technology to target areas of highest concentration, speeding up removal and lowering the risk to the base’s drinking water well network. In coordination with the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services, the treated water is then reinjected into the site, helping flush the groundwater.
“The process [of treating PFAS] can take decades, but we monitor immediate exposure pathways like Base Well 3 in order to install a solution right away,” said Juvenal Salomon, Air Force Civil Engineer Center remedial project manager. “Our environmental restoration program is committed to cleaning up [PFAS] in order to meet set standards for public health and safety, the environment and the surrounding community. We follow where the plume goes and find the best technology to mitigate it. It’s a huge team effort with many players involved to find the best solutions.”
If PFAS is detected above regulatory limits in other wells on base, additional treatment systems will be planned as needed.
“The treatment projects will allow Shaw to continue providing clean water that meets the strictest regulatory requirements,” said Peyton. “We will be able to bring Base Well 3 back online, increasing the dependability and resiliency of our entire water system.”
This project is part of a larger effort to proactively manage groundwater and protect public health by ensuring safe drinking water on the installation. Installing the filtration system at Base Well 3 not only addresses immediate PFAS concerns, but also ensures long-term protection of the base’s groundwater resources. Future expansions in treatment plants and facilities are planned to better mitigate substances from affecting groundwater on and off base.
The 20th CES’s environmental team, AFCEC and 20th Medical Group bioenvironmental engineers will continue to monitor and control the presence of PFAS in groundwater, safeguarding the health and safety of both the installation and the surrounding community.
| Date Taken: | 07.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.31.2024 12:24 |
| Story ID: | 484330 |
| Location: | SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 81 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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