“The city will continue to pursue outside funds for PFAS-related projects,” said Mike Powell, the director of Dayton’s water department. “The city does not intend to utilize water utility funds for this project.”
The city wants to construct a 48-inch raw water interconnect between the Miami Well Field and Ottawa water treatment plant and a 36-inch water main within the Miami Well Field, according to information the city submitted as part of an application that seeks funding through the Dayton Region Priority Development and Advocacy Committee (PDAC) process.
These infrastructure projects would seek to increase water production at the Miami Well Field to pipe raw water to the Ottawa water plant.
The Miami Well Field is located in northeast Dayton; the Ottawa plant is located near the northeast corner of downtown.
The city says these projects would allow it to blend water with undetectable levels of PFAS from the Miami Well Field with water from the Mad River Well Field that contains the toxic, man-made chemicals.
“Blending can be an effective strategy for meeting maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) if employed appropriately,” said Dina Pierce, a spokesperson with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency.
Maximum contaminant levels — the highest levels of contaminants allowed in drinking water — are established by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
A state of Ohio action plan established 70 parts per trillion as a level at which Ohio would direct public water systems to take action to reduce PFAS in their drinking water, Pierce said.
The treated drinking water being provided by the city of Dayton is currently meeting Ohio’s PFAS action level, she said.
In August, water from the city’s Ottawa water treatment plant had a PFAS level of 8.5 parts per trillion, according to city data. Water from the Miami water treatment plant did not have PFAS at a detectable level (over 5 parts per trillion).
However, earlier this year the U.S. EPA proposed a Maximum Contaminant Level of 4 parts per trillion for multiple PFAS.
High cost
The proposed 36-inch water main project could cost about $10 million and the raw water interconnect project could cost about $30 million, according to information in the city’s PDAC submission.
Powell, the water director, said Dayton will seek all available outside funding for the remediation of PFAS in the water supply.
The city says PFAS in the drinking water came from firefighter foam from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, which is located outside of the city.
Dayton sued the alleged PFAS chemical manufacturers and the U.S. Department of Defense in the hopes of getting them to fork over money to help the city try to reduce or eliminate the chemicals in the drinking water.
Studies suggest PFAS can impact human health and development and cause damage to the liver and the immune system.
Kathy Arnett, chair of the Dayton Environmental Advisory Board, said the city is trying to reduce intake of water from wells that have been or could be contaminated.
She said the city also is trying to get the parties responsible for the PFAS in the water to help with environmental cleanup.
“In my opinion, there is no simple answer to address PFAS, but there needs to be a multi-pronged strategy,” she said. “I am encouraged that the city is working on multiple fronts to address the PFAS issue.”
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