Evoqua Services Remove Perchlorate for a California Community

Challenge

The Lincoln Avenue Water Company needed a treatment system for the removal of perchlorate from their primary wells. The company provides 2,000 gpm of drinking water to the community of Altadena, California. Recent water analysis from the wells indicated perchlorate levels above California's Public Health goal of 6 ppb.

Solution

Evoqua solution uses disposable ion exchange resin technology to treat the water. Once the resin has reached its full capacity, it is destroyed and thereby prevents future recontamination with perchlorate to other water sources in the state.

Evoqua provided a series of 12' diameter, high flow vessels containing special ion exchange resin. The resin, developed by the Rohm & Haas Company, is specifically designed to remove perchlorate from water supplies contaminated with up to 1,000 ppb levels to non-detection levels. The new resin is a significant improvement over former technologies due to reduced operating cost associated with its use to below $200 per acre-foot treated. The new system also eliminates generation of contaminated brine waste and provides substantially greater total treatment capacity.

Results

Evoqua's treatment solution reduced perchlorate levels to non-detection levels, meeting the state’s public health goal of 6 ppb. It also reduced Lincoln Avenue Water Company's operating costs and reduced the overall footprint area by utilizing high flow vessels, which allows the utility to double the flow rate and thereby reduces the number of vessels required by half.

The system was installed and operating within 4 weeks of order. The system holds the record in California for issuance of purchase order to full plant operation with a Health Department operating permit in two months.