American Water inks 10-state deal with PFAS treatment materials and services provider

Calgon Carbon Corp. and American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States, jointly announced the signing of a nine-year exclusive supply contract providing granular activated carbon, equipment and reactivation services to more than 50 American Water sites across 10 states.

Calgon Carbon’s activated carbon products and services will continue be used to treat per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water. The contract will affect American Water systems in California, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia.

“American Water remains steadfast in our commitment to protect our customers and the communities we serve by meeting or surpassing federal and local drinking water standards, including those regulations put forth by the U.S. EPA related to PFAS,” said M. Susan Hardwick, chief executive officer of American Water. “Our partnership with Calgon Carbon is a critical element in ensuring our facilities will continue to have the necessary equipment, supplies and ongoing services to comply with current PFAS regulations and do so in an environmentally responsible way.”

Calgon Carbon’s proprietary reactivation process has been demonstrated to destroy testable PFAS compounds to near non-detect levels. Compared to other methods of treatment, the reactivated carbon product also significantly reduces CO₂ generation, making it an environmentally responsible process to minimize waste, Calgon Carbon said.

“Calgon Carbon and American Water share a similar vision to remove PFAS and to continue to deliver safe drinking water to people across the U.S. We are excited about this strategic partnership to supply our FILTRASORB^® activated carbon and AquaKnight™ equipment to American Water as they tackle the PFAS problem and protect communities across the country from forever chemicals,” said Jenalle Brewer, Calgon Carbon senior vice president of drinking water solutions and global business development. “We also applaud their adoption of environmentally sound and cost-effective reactivation services, that keeps spent carbon out of landfills.”

In April 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established the national maximum containment levels for six PFAS. Visit the EPA’s website for more information: https://www.epa.gov/pfas.

Calgon Carbon is a wholly owned subsidiary of Kuraray Co., Ltd.