At a time when water is more vital than ever for public health and environmental protection, Veolia has built one of the largest PFAS treatment systems in the United States and the largest of its kind in the Northeast.
The Stanton Water Treatment Plant will remove regulated PFAS compounds from drinking water and ensure high-quality drinking water for over 100,000 residents, fully meeting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) PFAS regulations. It establishes a replicable model for cost-effective PFAS treatment projects in water systems globally.
The $35 million facility is in addition to 33 existing PFAS treatment systems Veolia already operates for water customers in the United States. Veolia will continue to install treatment systems to achieve PFAS treatment at more than 100 water production sites in the country in the coming years, which will help secure high-quality drinking water for almost 2 million people and comply with regulations in the most cost-effective way possible.
Veolia’s experience meeting the challenge in America has built a strong foundation to do it across the globe. The successful delivery of PFAS treatment for drinking water in Delaware exemplifies how Veolia’s BeyondPFAS offering of end-to-end solutions can manage PFAS from testing through treatment and responsible disposal.
Veolia opens one of the largest PFAS treatment plants in the U.S.
Veolia began designing the Stanton PFAS system in early 2022, ahead of the new EPA regulations for some PFAS levels in drinking water, and worked methodically to deliver a state-of-the-art plant that minimized construction costs and left maximum flexibility for the future. It took three years to design and build the 17,600-square-foot facility which features 42 large vessels, each 22 feet high and filled with 40,000 pounds of granular activated carbon. The vessels are designed and optimized for the carbon material to adsorb regulated PFAS compounds from up to 30 million gallons of water per day that enters the plant from two nearby rivers. The massive vessels were installed first and the building was constructed around them, requiring precise coordination and timing during the construction process.
The plant includes a laboratory to continually test new filtration media and treatment methods, providing additional flexibility and cost savings in the future.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony today, Veolia leaders were joined by Delaware elected officials and community leaders to celebrate the achievement, which went from the drawing board to a working treatment plant in three years.
Estelle Brachlianoff, CEO of Veolia, said: “In line with our GreenUp strategic program, this major infrastructure milestone highlights Veolia’s strong commitment to delivering environmental security solutions to communities worldwide. Tackling micropollutants lies at the heart of our mission, and Veolia is proud to lead the way in testing, treating and responsibly disposing of regulated PFAS contaminants. For the 100,000 people who rely on high-quality water from Veolia in Delaware, the Stanton PFAS treatment system is a generational improvement in public health and environmental protection that will strengthen communities and create opportunities long into the future.”
“PFAS contamination poses a serious threat to public health, and addressing it at the source is essential,” said Delaware Governor Matt Meyer. “The Stanton Water Treatment Plant will play a vital role in tackling this challenge by treating PFAS on the front end of the water system. Veolia’s leadership in developing one of the largest treatment facilities in the country reflects a strong commitment to proactive public health protection and underscores our administration’s dedication to ensuring clean, safe water for Delawareans.”
Karine Rougé, CEO of Municipal Water for Veolia in North America, said: “I’m inspired by how swiftly and effectively Veolia responded to the PFAS challenge in Delaware through this state-of-the-art facility, which now sets a global standard. The lessons from this project will help Veolia deploy similar water quality improvements faster, more efficiently and more effectively. We’re proud of our team for designing and building this vital project so quickly and so well, and we’re thrilled that so many of our customers are able to benefit from their tireless work.”
