Wilmington Council moves forward on PFAS removal

Wilmington’s water treatment facilities are set for major upgrades as City Council advances a Phase Three PFAS removal project to protect drinking water. (Photo Manki Kim)

WILMINGTON — Wilmington City Council has taken the next step in addressing PFAS contamination in the city’s drinking water.

During the Thursday, Aug. 21 council meeting, council advanced an ordinance authorizing bonds for the Phase Three PFAS Removal Project, which will fund the design and construction of a new PFAS system and a transfer pump station.

The Finance and Economic Development Committee will review the PFAS ordinance, along with the broader package of bond measures, before it returns to the full council for a vote.

As Wilmington continues to upgrade its water infrastructure, the PFAS project stands out as a direct response to federal regulation and community concern about drinking water safety.

PFAS in Delaware

PFAS—often called “forever chemicals”- do not break down easily and can build up in the environment and human body. Wilmington is situated in the Christina River basin, an area with known contamination hotspots, including the Brandywine and Red Clay creeks.

In March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized strict national limits of just 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. Delaware regulators are now requiring utilities to meet those standards.

Statewide, progress is already underway. Earlier this year, the Stanton PFAS treatment facility opened at a cost of $35 million, using granular activated carbon filters to treat up to 30 million gallons of water per day. That facility, serving more than 100,000 residents, brought Delaware into compliance years ahead of the federal