Town of Cary Partners With Invicta Water to Remove and Destroy PFAS In Drinking Water

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Good morning, readers.

Forever chemicals, or PFAS—per- and polyfluoroalky substances—are in the air, water, and soil all around us. They’re also in us. EPA data show that 143 million people throughout the country use drinking water contaminated with PFAS, and an estimated 98 percent of Americans have PFAS in their bloodstreams. These chemicals are harmful at high levels, linked to a variety of ailments and conditions. 

And while municipalities have found methods of getting PFAS (which are notoriously sticky and difficult to break down from their chemical compounds) out of drinking water sources, these methods are often costly, and leave the other costly problem of having to haul waste offsite. 

A North Carolina company, Invicta Water, has found a method of treating PFAS in water that first separates the chemicals from the rest of the water supply, then destroys them efficiently and with little waste left over. Last month, the Town of Cary launched a pilot program with Invicta Water that will see 100,000 gallons of water each day for the next six months treated using this method. 

Steve Wilcenski, Invicta Water’s CEO, says his company has found a way to scale its solution up and down; at the larger scale end, it could save municipalities like Cary millions of dollars each year.

Betsy Drake, Cary’s water utility engineering manager, says she is excited to see the results of the pilot program.

“We were intrigued by the technology and also liked the fact that it’s homegrown, so to speak,” Drake says. 

Read about how the technology works and how it could be the key to removing PFAS from drinking water across the country. 

 —Jane

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