EUROWATER’s head of drinking water, Arne Koch (left), and chemical engineer and product specialist in ion exchange technology, Søren Duch-Hennings (right), are the two key figures in the development of the innovative plant. (Photo: Christian Møller Stefffensen © Silhorko-Eurowater)
The high concentration of the “forever chemical” PFAS in drinking water on Fanø has caused great concern. But a solution has now been found. Using advanced ion exchange technology, EUROWATER has designed a purification method that can remove PFAS in drinking water. A completed water treatment plant on Fanø is expected to begin operation as early as the end of this year.
At the beginning of the year, the limit on the concentration of PFAS in drinking water was significantly reduced, from 100 to two nanograms per liter. At Fanø Vand, the PFAS concentration is four nanograms per liter, which is twice the new limit.
This led Fanø Vand to take action and contact the Danish water treatment plant manufacturer, EUROWATER, which has extensive experience with special solutions for both water treatment plants and industry.
“We were under a lot of pressure to find a solution, because it is obviously important for us to comply with all the regulations regarding the quality of our drinking water. But the solution was not immediately clear. We could not just go to a supplier who had a ready-made system that we could install – that did not exist,” says Kaj Svarrer, chairman of the board of Fanø Vand, continuing:
“Our cooperation with EUROWATER goes back a long time, so it was natural for us to enlist their help to solve this challenge. As a small company without an analysis or research department, we rely heavily on good business partners we can rely on for their expertise.”
From successful pilot test to full-scale wastewater treatment plant
Fanø Vand and EUROWATER initiated a pilot test that quickly showed that conventional treatment methods were not sufficient for the water on Fanø. Therefore, EUROWATER engineers have designed an innovative test plant with advanced ion exchange technology.
“Normally we use ion exchange resin to remove lime or salt from water, but one of our experienced chemical engineers saw that with the right type of ion exchange resin we could potentially remove PFAS,” says Arne Koch, Head of Drinking Water at EUROWATER.
The type of ion exchange resin used in the new water treatment plant to remove PFAS from drinking water. (Photo: Christian Møller Steffensen © Silhorko-Eurowater)
Ion exchange technology proved to be the right solution, and the results spoke for themselves. The purification not only reduced the PFAS concentration below the limit, but eliminated it completely.
Measurements of the purified water showed that the PFAS concentration was now so low that the measuring equipment could no longer record it. Specifically, the PFAS concentration is certainly lower than 0.1 nanograms per liter, if anything at all.
“The fact that we managed to find an ion exchange resin that reacts so optimally to the unwanted PFAS contaminants in the water is a great victory. We suspected it would work, but we had no knowledge or experience to fall back on. So we feel we have explored important new ground in this pilot test – both for Fanø and for other water treatment plants that could potentially face similar challenges,” says Arne Koch.
The pilot test has been running for more than six months, and measurements still show PFAS concentrations well below the limit. Therefore, EUROWATER is now designing and building a full-scale water treatment plant based on the pilot project. The plant is expected to be commissioned on Fanø by the end of this year and will then be capable of purifying as much as 150 m3 (150,000 liters) of drinking water per hour.
“It was important for us that we could get below the limit, but it is nice to know that with the new installation the PFAS concentration in the drinking water can be reduced so much that it is no longer measurable. Of course we must continue to monitor the development of the measurements, but both we and the authorities we have spoken with sincerely believe that the method is the right one,” concludes Kaj Svarrer of Fanø Vand.
Until the new plant is ready, EUROWATER will set up a temporary carbon filtration plant on Fanø, reducing the PFAS concentration in drinking water on Fanø by about 40 percent.
The path of the water from the borehole to the tap on Fanø, after EUROWATER’s new water treatment plant is installed. After the ion exchange unit, a UV disinfection unit is added to ensure that the drinking water is also completely free of bacteria and viruses. (Illustration: Christian Møller Steffensen © Silhorko-Eurowater)
Further contact
Eurowater Belgium nv
Rozenstraat 7, 9810 Eke-Nazareth
Info.be@eurowater.com – 09/228.18.61