PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Eastern Municipal Water District (EMWD) is seeking funding to construct a PFAS removal treatment system at either Well 56 or Well 57 in Perris, CA.

PFAS are per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, which are a class of chemicals resistant to heat, water and oil that have been used in consumer products. These chemicals are often found in the environment and pose a public health risk. 

EMWD received $3.45 million in federal funding through the Fiscal Year 2023 Interior-Environmental Protection Agency Appropriations Bill to support a PFAS remediation project for Well 56 and 57, which has been offline due to elevated levels of PFAS in the groundwater. Both wells are impacted by the same contamination plume that is the result of historical Department of Defense activities at nearby March Air Reserve Base. 

By constructing a new treatment facility, EMWD will be making beneficial use of a local groundwater supply that it can not currently use due to the contamination. This funding would support the construction of a treatment facility, pipelines, and necessary utility improvements.

PROJECT TIMELINE: Construction anticipated to begin Summer 2025