RENOVA installed and operated a temporary wellhead water treatment system to remove perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) compounds from Well 8 at the Grove Pond Wellfield in Ayer, MA. The contract, an 8(a) direct award, negotiated procurement, was put into place by the US Army Corps of Engineers, New England District in response to the immediate need for a temporary treatment system while the Town of Ayer completed the design and installation of a permanent system at the site. The temporary system was designed to continuously treat water, with a treatment goal for Well 8 water to achieve non-detect concentrations for PFAS compounds in the discharge. Groundwater treatment was achieved using two (2) 20,000 lb Liquid-Phase Granular Activated Carbon (LGAC) vessels in series. The treatment system was designed for a maximum flow rate of 350 gpm and pressure at the inlet to the LGAC system of 110 psi.

The system was designed and installed during April and May of 2019 and began operating in early June 2019, within seven (7) weeks of the contract award. The plant operated through December 2020 for a total of 19 months of operation and decommissioned the system January through March of 2021. All project goals for this important, time-sensitive contract were met or exceeded.