Course Description:
This two-hour session consists of two one-hour presentations along with Question & Answer times. The first part entitled POET Systems in Residential Environments (#1898) will be presented by Brooke Paulsen of Verdantas. As a SARSS contractor, the company has conducted source discovery of PFAS-impacted drinking water; collected private residential water samples; designed, installed, and maintained point of entry treatment (POET) systems; and maintained an extensive database of private well data for long-term monitoring, imminent hazard tracking, and production of various town-wide or RTN-specific graphics. The team has also implemented POET systems in residential environments where PFAS concentrations exceed the MA drinking water standards or imminent hazard levels.
The presentation will cover the following topics:
- Verdantas’ experience with PFAS POET systems under MassDEP.
- POET system design, installation, and O&M (siting criteria, nuances).
- Lessons learned, modifications, and responses to homeowners (stakeholder engagement, emergency response).
The Question & Answer session at the end of the presentation will be moderated by Kerry Tull of Verdantas.
The second part of this session is an expanded presentation of a prior 30-minute course* entitled A Study and Evaluation of PFAS Point of Entry Treatment Systems (POETS) in Massachusetts (#1900). This updated course will expand upon the original course and provide a more robust discussion of significant observations and findings, and be taught by John Fitzgerald, Environmental Engineer with MassDEP’s Northeast Regional Office.
Since 2020, MassDEP has been undertaking an ongoing study of PFAS POETS in MA to better understand how these contaminants are being addressed in private drinking water wells. Such an evaluation has focused on submittals provided by LSPs that contain design information and monitoring data, supplemented by additional and independent sampling and assessment initiatives by agency staff. To date, over 350 installations and over 8,000 data points have been evaluated, including “deep dives” into 62 systems with some combination of breakthrough and flow data.
This presentation will provide the latest findings on influent chemistry, system configurations and design parameters, including Empty Bed Contact Time, treatment media, breakthrough, and loading rates, along with data and assessments on PFAS laboratory and screening methods. Time will be allotted for Q&A at the end of the presentation.
*A 30-minute course entitled, “A Study on Point of Entry Treatment (POET) Systems in Massachusetts Homes”, was a featured segment of Course #1866, approved by the Board for DEP Regulatory credit and presented at the AEHS Conference at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on October 22, 2024.
