The Challenge
When the family first learned about PFAS in their well water, they immediately stopped drinking it. With a young child in the home, they couldn't take chances. But their concerns went beyond the kitchen tap: What about their vegetable garden irrigated with well water? The backyard chickens drinking from outdoor spigots? Bathing and showering?
After two years of investigation, the source was identified: organic sludge (biosolids) used as fertilizer on nearby farmland. This became New Jersey's first documented case directly linking agricultural biosolids to residential PFAS contamination—with major implications for rural communities nationwide.
The family's well water showed 269 ppt total PFAS initially, with individual compounds exceeding both NJDEP and proposed EPA limits. But they faced a technical problem: previous NJDEP POET systems using anion ion exchange (AIX) had failed within months due to sulfate fouling and pressure drop issues. The state had lost confidence in AIX and was recommending only GAC.
GAC presented serious limitations:
- 10x lower capacity than AIX
- 4x slower flow rates requiring much larger equipment
- Wouldn't fit in their modest home
- Higher installation and operating costs
The family needed AIX performance, but the state needed proven reliability. Someone had to figure out why AIX systems failed—and fix it.
We designed for worst-case scenarios, but we couldn't have predicted 4,500 ppt spikes. The dual-tank configuration and proper pre-treatment meant the system kept working even when contamination increased seventeen-fold. That's the difference between engineering and just following specifications.
~ Jim Vanderhorn, Division Manager, The Jayson Company
The Solution
Jim Vanderhorn from The Jayson Company identified the root cause: previous systems ignored basic water chemistry. Raw well water with 320 ppm hardness was hitting AIX resin directly, causing calcium and magnesium to precipitate with sulfate, creating pressure drop and system failure.
The fix? Pre-soften the water before AIX treatment—something anyone who's installed sulfate removal systems knows, but was missing from NJDEP designs.
The Engineered Solution:
Working with ResinTech's technical team, Vanderhorn designed a comprehensive system:
Pre-Treatment: Used the family's existing water softener upstream (320 ppm → 0.7 ppm hardness) plus sediment filtration. This single change eliminated the failure mode completely.
Proper Sizing: Analyzed the household (3 occupants, 2 bathrooms) and designed for 6 gpm flow using two 10" x 54" tanks with 4 cubic feet total SIR-110-HP resin. Result: only 3 psi pressure drop.
Dual-Tank Redundancy: Lead-lag configuration provided continuous protection. When the primary tank showed breakthrough during contamination spikes, the polisher tank caught everything—the family never knew their protection was being tested.
Comprehensive Monitoring: Flow totalizer and quarterly testing tracked actual performance versus assumptions.
Nobody anticipated what happened next: over three years, raw water PFAS didn't stay at 269 ppt—it spiked to over 4,000 ppt, likely from seasonal biosolids application and rainfall. These dramatic fluctuations would have overwhelmed conventional designs.
When NJDEP initially refused to test AIX systems, ResinTech provided the analysis that proved our design worked. That partnership made the difference between theoretical superiority and proven family protection.
~ Jim Vanderhorn, Division Manager, The Jayson Company
The Results
After three years of continuous operation, the system has exceeded all expectations—protecting the family through contamination levels that would have overwhelmed conventional designs.
Performance Achievement:
- 165,000 gallons treated (284% of projection)
- Zero PFAS delivered to household for entire 36+ month period
- Successfully handled 269 to 4,500+ ppt variability
- Polisher tank maintained non-detect throughout all contamination spikes
Technology Comparison:
|
Metric
|
This AIX System
|
Equivalent GAC
|
|
Volume Treated
|
165,000 gallons
|
~50,000 gallons
|
|
System Size
|
4 cubic feet
|
16+ cubic feet
|
|
Service Life
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3+ years ongoing
|
~1 year typical
|
|
Variable Loading
|
Handled 17x spike
|
Capacity degrades
|
Impact Beyond This Family:
This installation represents New Jersey's first documented case linking agricultural biosolids to residential PFAS contamination—now driving regulatory discussions about biosolids management practices, agricultural contamination pathways, and point-of-entry treatment strategies.
By solving the sulfate fouling issue, this project reopened AIX technology for the NJDEP POET program, demonstrating that proper engineering eliminates failure risk while delivering superior performance.
Most importantly, a young family can safely use their well water—drinking, cooking, bathing without fear—even as agricultural contamination continues in their community. When raw water PFAS spiked to 4,500 ppt in summer 2023, the family never knew. The system handled it automatically, exactly as designed.
Economic Impact:
- $15,000-20,000 savings vs. equivalent GAC installation
- 3x longer service intervals reducing maintenance costs
- 75% smaller footprint fits in existing homes
Strategic Applications:
This case study addresses an emerging challenge as agricultural biosolids become recognized as PFAS contamination pathways. The methodology validates that properly engineered AIX systems can:
- Handle variable contamination from seasonal application patterns
- Provide long-term protection when source remediation is impractical
- Deliver economic value for rural homeowners
- Work in space-limited residential installations
Conclusion
Over three years, this POET installation protected a New Jersey family from PFAS contamination that spiked to 4,500+ ppt—validating that properly engineered AIX systems provide superior residential treatment compared to GAC alternatives.
The success demonstrates that pre-softening eliminates the failure mode that plagued previous NJDEP AIX systems, while dual-tank redundancy provides protection under unpredictable agricultural contamination patterns.
By reopening AIX technology for the POET program, this collaboration between The Jayson Company and ResinTech advances residential PFAS treatment beyond GAC-only limitations—delivering superior capacity, smaller footprint, and proven protection for families affected by emerging agricultural contamination.
