Tackling PFAS with Modular Simplicity
The challenge of treating PFAS in drinking water is growing rapidly. With new EPA regulations pressing utilities to act fast, Aqua’s Joe Pearce has led the charge with a practical and scalable solution: PFAS Guard, a modular treatment system designed for community wells and small systems. Essential Utilities – Aqua America
Aqua’s VP of Emerging Contaminants, joined us on It’s Your Water to share how his team is rolling out over 300 PFAS treatment systems—starting with nearly 200 in North Carolina alone. These aren’t massive water plants. Most are 30 to 100 gallon-per-minute wells, serving small towns, mobile home parks, or schools.
What Is PFAS Guard?
PFAS Guard is a pre-engineered, plug-and-play treatment system built inside a compact 10’x12’ enclosure.
Each unit includes:
- Buffered ion exchange resin (for fast pH recovery)
- Lead-lag stainless steel vessels
- Resin traps and bag filters
- Precut NSF hoses and stainless flanges
- Heated, dehumidified and insulated enclosure for all components in aluminum or dark brown. (Other Colors Available by Custom Order.)
It’s built to be dropped in, started up in a day, and when exhausted, swapped out in hours—no vacuum trucks or complex builds required.
Why It Works
Reverse osmosis was ruled out early due to permitting issues, and granular activated carbon (GAC) couldn’t match the required flow in small enclosures. Buffered ion exchange resin became the go-to—avoiding the pH crashes that plagued early installs and delivering reliable performance within 40 bed volumes.
By standardizing installs and warehousing media and parts lead times and costs are reduced, and serviceability simple.
Who Can Use It?
This system is available to utilities and operators outside of Aqua. It’s ideal for:
- Community wells
- Schools and churches
- Mobile home parks
- Nursing homes and small developments
With support for up to 200 GPM and pressure ratings of 125 PSI (150 PSI custom), it hits the sweet spot for small systems under regulatory pressure.
PFAS Guard Models
| PFAS Guard Model (2 Minute EBCT) | Minimum Flow Rate (gpm) | Maximum Flow Rate (gpm) | Number of Vessels | Vessel Diameter (Inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PG14-1 | 6.5 | 13 | 2 | 14 |
| PG14-2 | 13 | 19 | 4 | 14 |
| PG24-1 | 19 | 42 | 2 | 24 |
| PG36-1 | 42 | 99 | 2 | 36 |
| PG48-1 | 99 | 199 | 2 | 48 |
| PG48-2* | 198 | 398 | 4 | 48 |
| PG48-3* | 297 | 597 | 6 | 48 |
| *These require larger than standard PFAS Guard enclosures. | ||||