County begins operations on first PFAS extraction plant

The Orange County Water District (OCWD; the District) and the City of Fullerton have begun operation of the Kimberly Well 1A PFAS Treatment Plant, Orange County’s first wellhead filtration treatment plant to remove perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) from local well water.

PFOA and PFOS are manmade, heat-resistant chemicals that are prevalent in the environment and were once commonly used in consumer products to repel water, grease and oil. They are part of a larger group referred to as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Due to their prolonged use, PFAS are being detected in water sources throughout the United States, including the Orange County Groundwater Basin.