PFAS and Phthalate Reduction Project

ACWA is tackling two high-priority classes of toxic pollutants—per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and phthalates—with grant funding from EPA’s Columbia River Basin Restoration Funding Assistance Program. This work will help ACWA members prepare for new regulations and will provide tools to support toxics reduction efforts in their communities.

This project advances ACWA’s strategies for reducing PFAS and phthalates through source control/pollution prevention and advocating for policies that are based on sound science and data.

ACWA will deliver the following products:

• A public education and outreach toolkit with toxics reduction resource and guidance
• Resources to help local governments reduce purchases of products with PFAS and phthalates
• Guidelines and resources to reduce local government purchases of products with PFAS and phthalates
• A summary of research on industrial and commercial sources of PFAS and phthalates
• Monitoring of PFAS and phthalates in wastewater, biosolids, and stormwater in mid-size and small communities and a summary of data findings
• Pollution prevention and source control assistance information for industries and businesses

Stay Tuned: These products will be made available to members to customize and use as they are developed over the course of the grant (2023 through 2024).

Get Involved: ACWA is developing these products with member volunteers supporting an advisory group and subcommittees. ACWA’s strength comes from active member participation. Please consider joining a subcommittee to help develop these resources and ensure they will be effective tools for your community. Contact Kevin Masterson at kmasterson@stonycreek.consulting to get involved.

Stay Informed:  

For more information, please see the ACWA toxics reduction grant project overview or contact Kevin Masterson at kmasterson@stonycreek.consulting. Also see ACWA’s 2022 white paper—Managing PFAS in Oregon: A Clean Water Agency Perspective— for more information on ACWA’s PFAS strategies and recommendations. Project updates will also be provided at the ACWA Water Quality, Stormwater, Pretreatment, and Biosolids & Recycled Water committee meetings. Sign up to receive committee information by contacting Lisa Landers at landers@ORACWA.org.