PFAS Article by deSilva and Deshmukh Receiving AWWA Award

As utilities work to tackle PFAS contaminants in their water/wastewater systems, information that helps them assess available treatments and their costs provides valuable guidance. Our water and wastewater treatment engineers Viraj deSilva, and Dhruv Deshmukh examined the experiences of treatment plants in six states for the May 2025 issue of Journal AWWA. Their article, “The Cost to Remove PFAS: A Review of US Water Treatment Plants,” has been recognized with the 2026 AWWA Management & Leadership Division Best Article Award.

The presentation is scheduled for June at the ACE26, the American Water Works Association annual conference. Journal AWWA is the organization’s official publication.

Viraj is recognized nationally and internationally for his PFAS expertise and leadership on tackling contaminants in water, wastewater, and biosolids. PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are chemicals used in the production of a wide range of everyday products, but they have been identified as environmental contaminants in groundwater, surface water, drinking water and elsewhere, with increasing concern about them causing negative health effects. Viraj chairs the Water Environment Federation’s Emerging Contaminants Community, which is addressing substances including PFAS and microplastics. Prior to that he chaired WEF’s PFAS Task Force.

Read the article in Journal AWWA: “The Cost to Remove PFAS: A Review of US Water Treatment Plants” (subscription required)

Viraj’s previous papers also have been recognized by AWWA: “Potable Reuse and PFAS” and “Managing and treating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in membrane concentrates”