Tampa's new tech aims to remove chemicals from drinking water
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Photo courtesy of the City of Tampa
Tampa will be the first U.S. city to use new technology to eliminate dangerous chemicals in its water filtration process, officials announced Monday.
What's happening: The Tampa Water Department is adopting Suspended Ion Exchange, or "SIX," working to make its water treatment center the largest SIX facility in the world.
- SIX enables downstream filtration to remove polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals," a pervasive group of industrial chemicals that have affected drinking water quality across the U.S.
The big picture: At least 45% of U.S. tap water is estimated to be contaminated with the chemicals, according to U.S. Geological Survey research published this summer.
Flashback: SIX was initially piloted by the Tampa Water Department in 2020.
- That program showed the technology would reduce the amount of chemicals needed to treat Tampa's drinking water, saving $1.4 million each year; improve drinking water quality and increase operational safety at the plant.
- The SIX pilot is now being tested at the city's wastewater treatment plant.
Threat level: Some PFAS variants were detected in city water over the last year, according to the city. Two of those variants were "slightly above the proposed limits in some samples."
- About a third of Florida's water treatment facilities exceed proposed limits, according to the city.
- PFAS have also been found in Tampa Bay oysters.
What we're watching: The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to release finalized regulations on six PFAS at the start of the new year.
- In March, the agency proposed the first federal regulations that would require utilities to remove PFAS from drinking water before they reach households and businesses.
Editor's note: This story and headline have been corrected to reflect that the water technology Tampa is testing makes it possible to remove forever chemicals via downstream filtration, though it doesn't directly eliminate them.