Phil Farina

PFAS Treatment for Rural Water Treatment Systems

Phil Farina, Midwest Business Development Manager, Clear Creek Systems, Inc.

This presentation provides practical, step‑by‑step guidance to help rural drinking water systems understand, plan, and implement PFAS treatment that meets new federal standards while remaining affordable and operable for small communities. The work first frames the scope of PFAS contamination nationally and explains why rural groundwater‑reliant systems face disproportionate risk due to limited staff, aging infrastructure, and basic treatment trains not designed for trace organics. It then summarizes the evolving regulatory landscape, including EPA’s 4 ppt MCLs for PFOA and PFOS, UCMR5 monitoring, and state‑level actions, and translates these requirements into clear design and compliance targets for small systems.  A structured “what to do before you do it” approach is presented, covering source characterization, sampling and monitoring, technology selection, and system design, with emphasis on comparing GAC, ion exchange, Fluoro‑Sorb, RO, and emerging options based on EBCT, media life, co‑contaminants, waste residuals, and lifecycle cost. Case studies from small and rural systems (25–500 gpm) illustrate successful implementation of skid‑mounted and pre‑fabricated PFAS systems that achieve non‑detect performance at realistic capital and operating costs. The presentation concludes with discussion of residuals management, funding pathways (including federal programs targeting disadvantaged communities), and risk communication strategies to build public trust, showing that PFAS compliance is achievable for rural systems through careful planning, appropriate technology, and leveraged funding. 

Phil Farina is the Midwest Business Development Manager at Clear Creek Systems, Inc., a leading provider of water treatment solutions. He holds a BS in Biology, a BA in Psychology, and an MS in Virology from Rutgers University, as well as an MBA in Chemical Marketing from Fairleigh Dickinson University. With over 35 years of experience, Phil has specialized in developing innovative water treatment technologies for the CCR, remediation, and PFAS markets, playing a key role in introducing new technical solutions to the industry.  At Clear Creek Systems, Phil helps deliver custom, cost-effective water treatment systems for a wide range of clients, leveraging the company’s technology-agnostic approach to ensure effective and safe results. The team at Clear Creek Systems has extensive expertise in designing, building, and operating systems ranging from 5 to 20,000 gallons per minute, addressing complex contaminants such as PFAS, stormwater, and industrial wastewater.