Background
In Rumilly, Savoie (France), PFAS contamination in drinking water has triggered increased regulatory vigilance. The issue affects a public water catchment known as the ‘Madrid well’, contaminated due to historic industrial activities.
Following advice from a consulting engineering firm and proactive support from the water syndicate and local operator, a decision was made to implement a mobile activated carbon adsorption solution. The approach was endorsed by the operator’s R&D team as a strategic alternative to infrastructure-heavy interconnection project.
Challenge
The solution needed to comply with France’s upcoming PFAS regulation limit of 0.1 μg/L (for the sum of 20 PFAS compounds) by 2026, and do so without relying on alternative water sources.
At the time, there were no known benchmarks for this configuration in France. The goal was to validate a mobile, high-performance activated carbon filtration system in real operational conditions.
Puragen proposed the temporary rental of 2 mobile filters and granular activated carbon (GAC), providing a self-contained, flexible solution with minimal capital expenditure and no maintenance costs. The mobile filters were integrated into the existing distribution line, each unit equipped with automation, sensors, motorised valves, and flowmeters, ensuring full operational reliability and ease of replacement.
Key Factors for Success
Quality of Service:
The filters have been in continuous operation for over 14 months, without requiring activated carbon replacement. Performance was validated by certified laboratory analysis and monitored by the regional health agency (ARS) and the client’s R&D team.
Product Innovation:
An Aquasorber® 22 mobile filter, together with our AQM 1240D Extraplus high-performance re-agglomerated GAC, chosen for its superior adsorption performance.
Spent Carbon Reactivation:
Used GAC is reactivated at Puragen’s reactivation facility, where PFAS molecules are destroyed in a controlled high-temperature process. The reactivated carbon can then be re-used at other customer sites.
Site Services:
The solution included fast swap-out capability from Puragen’s regional service centre ensuring minimal downtime and high flexibility.
Outcome / Results
- Go-live date: December 2023
- Operational Efficiency: No carbon replacement needed for over 14 months—validated and monitored by third parties.
- Benchmark Performance: In direct comparison with two alternative suppliers, Puragen’s solution demonstrated 30% longer GAC service life without change-out.
