State-Funded Project to Build Booster Pump Station and Connect Water Systems, Ensuring Safe Drinking Water Ahead of EPA’s 2029 PFAS Compliance Deadline

PHOENIX (Sept. 24, 2024) — The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) announced today a major initiative with the Town of Star Valley to mitigate the effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination in the drinking water of the town and surrounding areas. This proactive initiative is part of ADEQ's statewide PFAS mitigation plan to help small and disadvantaged water systems, made possible by funds allocated in 2023 by Governor Katie Hobbs and the Arizona Legislature. Upon completion Star Valley will ensure access to clean, safe drinking water that meets the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new federal drinking water standards for PFAS. 

This project will see the construction of a new booster pump station and establish interconnections between Star Valley and three neighboring small public water systems. These essential infrastructure upgrades will ensure reliable, PFAS-free drinking water for 1,545 residents of Star Valley and surrounding communities.

“The interconnection of these water systems is crucial for providing safe and reliable drinking water to both the Town of Star Valley and the smaller public water systems in the region,” said Bobby Davis, Mayor of Star Valley. “We appreciate the state’s support in addressing PFAS contamination and ensuring the safety of our communities.”

This mitigation project reflects Arizona’s ongoing commitment to clean drinking water and public health. By working with local water providers and stakeholders, ADEQ is proactively addressing PFAS contamination in Star Valley and nearby areas, well before federal regulations take effect.

“Our mission is to protect the health and safety of Arizona’s communities,” said ADEQ Deputy Director Karen Peters. “By investing in infrastructure improvements now, we are taking important steps to ensure that residents in Star Valley and nearby areas have access to safe, clean drinking water.”

Project Overview

• Proactive Public Health Measure: This project is focused on proactively reducing PFAS contamination risks to protect public health and ensure safe, clean drinking water in impacted areas.
• State Investment: Funded by the State of Arizona, the project will proactively address PFAS contamination before the EPA’s compliance deadline of 2029.
• Booster Pump Station Construction: A new pump station will improve the delivery of clean water to the Town of Star Valley and neighboring areas.
• Three Water System Interconnections: The project will create interconnections to three smaller public water systems, ensuring that the surrounding communities also have access to safe drinking water.

Background

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals with fire-retardant properties that have been used commercially in the United States to make products like stain and water resistant carpet and textiles, food packaging, firefighting foam, as well as in other industrial processes. Some PFAS can accumulate in people, animals, and the environment over time. While consumer products and food are the largest source of exposure to these chemicals for most people, drinking water can be an additional source of exposure in communities where these chemicals are in water supplies. A lifetime of exposure to certain PFAS levels in drinking water is associated with negative health effects.

• To provide support to small water systems and disadvantaged communities that will need assistance to address PFAS, ADEQ developed and is implementing a statewide drinking water PFAS mitigation plan. ADEQ’s plan leverages both the $5 million in state funding and an additional $42 million in federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding and includes:
• Testing for public drinking water systems – Confirming PFAS contamination and testing for other contaminants that can interfere with PFAS treatment.
• Hydrogeologic evaluations – Assessing several PFAS-impacted areas of the state where the hydrogeology is less-studied. These evaluations will help drinking water providers make decisions such as removing wells from service, relocating wells, blending water, and connecting with another system.
• Treatment and infrastructure improvements – Providing funding for design and construction of PFAS mitigation strategies, such as connection to a clean water source, deepening existing wells or drilling new wells, or PFAS treatment. 
• PFAS education for drinking water professionals – Hosted forums to discuss industry perspectives on PFAS solutions, developed technical guidance documents for engineers designing PFAS treatment systems and conducting ongoing training.

Contact

ADEQ Public Information Officer
Ph: 480-670-0568
Email >

Town of Star Valley
Tim Grier, Town Manager
Ph: 928-472-7752
Email >