The Water Break Podcast, Episode 15: PFAS—What Are They and Why Do I Care?

“Where We Bridge the Gap Between Water Plant Operators and Engineers” In Episode 15, Heather Jennings, PE, leads a panel of 3 guests on a discussion of PFAS (Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) in the environment, drinking water, and wastewater. The panel includes Marci Payne, Sales and Marketing Director at Legend Technical Services of Arizona, Inc.; Cathy Swanson, West Regional Sales Manager and Groundwater Remediation Specialist at Purolite; and Dr. Rosa Gwinn, Global PFAS Technical Leader at AECOM. Heather and the panel discuss PFAS in terms of what they are, how they impact us, how we test for them, and issues related to removing them from the environment. They also discuss current regulatory requirements and what our level of concern should be in terms of addressing them in our industry. Additional Resources: EPA PFAS Info: https://www.epa.gov/pfas/basic-information-pfas CDC PFAS Info: https://www.cdc.gov/biomonitoring/PFAS_FactSheet.html ITRC PFAS Sampling and Analytical Methods: https://pfas-1.itrcweb.org/11-sampling-and-analytical-methods/#11_1 New Hampshire OFAS Sample Collection Guidance: https://www4.des.state.nh.us/nh-pfas-investigation/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/201905_Sample-Collection-Guidance-2.pdf Mentioned in the Podcast: Dark Waters Movie Trailer The Cat in the Hat Comes Back Wanda’s Water Tidbit: Mining for Sewer Heat: NPR—How Your Hot Showers and Toile Flushes Can Help the Climate Huber Technology—How to Heat and Cool Buildings With Wastewater National Geographic—Waste Wattage, Cities Aim to Flush Heat Energy Out of Sewers