Well 56 and 57 PFAS Pilot Study

Eastern Municipal Water District is preparing to conduct a pilot study at Well 59 to evaluate the effectiveness of granular active carbon and ion exchange resin media in removing PFAS contaminants from groundwater. Well 59 was chosen because its water quality closely matches that of the currently out-of-service Wells 56 and 57, which have been shut down due to elevated PFAS levels, and because it already has an operational GAC treatment system dating back to 2021. The pilot will compare the performance of both media types side-by-side and assess how frequently the media needs to be replaced, directly informing future operational and maintenance costs for full-scale treatment. The findings from this study will guide the design and implementation of treatment systems across all three wells, ultimately ensuring safe drinking water for EMWD ratepayers. The project is forecasted to be initiated in July 2026, with the primary point of contact located in Perris, California.