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 (6) months after project initiation.