County Approves Water Filter Grant

The Harris County Commission has approved accepting a grant to deal with PFAS in the water system.

PFAS, or Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, are synthetic chemicals that have been used in consumer products since the 1950s. Totaling nearly 15,000 chemical compounds, PFAS were used in a wide variety of household products and in some firefighting foam used to smother fires.

Experts report the carbon-fluorine chemical bond is extremely durable and can leak into the air, soil and water. A report from the Centers for Disease Control indicates that about 97 percent of Americans have PFAS in their blood streams. The impact of PFAS on humans is unknown, with studies being conducted.

The Environmental Protection Agency has established a Maximum Contaminant Level, or MCL, and required that all water systems test for the existence of PFAS in their water, reporting their findings.

Harris County’s testing apparently revealed not only the presence of PFAS in the water system but in excess of the MCL.

To address this, the county’s engineering firm, Carter & Sloop, partnered with county staff to test processes for removing PFAS from the water with the goal of determining which process works best for the county.

Carter & Sloop made the commissioners aware of a grant program from Georgia Environmental Finance Authority available to communities addressing PFAS contaminants. The grant, in the amount of $627,000, was applied for and awarded to the county.

During the Tuesday, June 16, meeting, the commissioners unanimously approving accepting the grant.

County Manager Clark Harrell reported that county staff has already submitted applications for grant amounts totaling $6 million to address the PFAS contaminant issue.