Municipal Drinking Water

Addressing traditional and emerging contaminants in new and existing groundwater sources

For utilities or clients with potable water treatment needs, Envirogen offers tailored solutions using ion exchange, adsorptive media, and biological systems. Our expertise spans across various applications, including the potable drinking water market, groundwater remediation, acid mine drainage (AMD) remediation, and landfill leachate treatment.

Whether treating new groundwater sources or restoring contaminated supplies, our solutions are designed to address the diverse challenges posed by both traditional and emerging contaminants including:

Envirogen’s technology-agnostic approach emphasizes value-engineering to support informed decision-making, optimize resources, and enhance financial sustainability throughout the asset lifecycle. We employ pilot plant trials to validate full-scale implementation, stress-test processes, and establish operational limits that future-proof designs. Proven across municipal applications, this approach enables us to offer performance guarantees – reducing risk, delivering peace of mind, and ensuring reliable environmental management that aligns with regulatory and budgetary goals.

Regulatory drivers and emerging standards

Recent regulatory developments have intensified the focus on several key contaminants for water purveyors, with stricter maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) being set or proposed in response to rising concerns about environmental persistence and potential long-term impacts on public health.

Similarly, hexavalent chromium (Chromium-6), classified as a carcinogen, has received significant attention because of its widespread occurrence in groundwater. California notably introduced the nation’s first drinking water standard for hexavalent chromium, aiming to substantially reduce exposure for millions of residents. These regulatory changes are not only designed to protect public health but are also expected to influence similar actions across other states.

Read our article by Todd Webster, Ph.D., P.E., Vice President, Envirogen, where he discusses: Compliance with California’s Hexavalent Chromium Regulation Using an Ion Exchange Approach.

Envirogen is well-positioned to provide regulatory guidance and consultancy on both current and upcoming regulations. With a focus on appropriately chosen and applied water treatment technologies, as well as multi-process designs, we help ensure compliance while addressing the unique challenges water purveyors face in this evolving landscape.

We’re dedicated to delivering long-term solutions that meet and exceed expectations, backed by our project outcomes, which are guaranteed on a warrantied basis.

Proven technology and solutions

Regenerable Ion Exchange (IX) Technology:

Envirogen’s regenerable ion exchange technology, with SimPACK and MinX systems, is a trusted, cost-effective water treatment solution. Its multi-bed configuration combines automated sequencing with flexible volume options to optimize efficiency and reduce waste. Advanced remote monitoring enables real-time oversight, making it adaptable for both high-flow and smaller applications. Modular, prefabricated units allow for quick installation and reliable performance. An optional Brine Processing Unit (BPU) further minimizes waste and hazardous outputs, enhancing sustainability and cost savings.

Spotlight: First-Ever Hexavalent Chromium Permitted System with California Water Service

Envirogen delivered the first-ever hexavalent chromium permitted systems in California with Cal Water. Since 2015, Envirogen’s SimPACK IX technology has provided reliable, compliant treatment for hexavalent chromium (Chromium-6) in drinking water supplies in Salinas, CA. This project meets compliance requirements by treating groundwater from two wells to achieve 80% of California’s regulatory target of 10 ppb for Chromium-6, a quality that surpasses the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) drinking water standard of 100 ppb for total chromium. Further treatment of waste brine removes concentrated hexavalent chromium, resulting in a non-hazardous byproduct suitable for safe disposal.

We offer two regenerable IX systems:

  • SimPACK (400+ GPM) – For treating contaminated water at flow rates over 400+ gpm. Employs a multi-bed N+3 staggered mode process, employing specialty resins tailored to specific target contaminants.
  • MinX (10-400 GPM) – Designed to treat specific contaminants at flow rates between 10 and 400 gpm using a multi-bed N+1 design with specialty resins tailored for effective water purification.

Click to play – How our SimPACK system works

Biological Fluidized Bed Reactor Technology (FBR):

Envirogen’s FBR is a proprietary biological water treatment system that efficiently removes organics and oxyanions from water, achieving over 99% removal efficiency. The FBR utilizes a fluidized bed of media to support microorganism attachment and growth, and can be configured for aerobic, anoxic, or anaerobic environments.

FBR system advantages:

  • Compact and efficient: High biomass concentration, plug-flow characteristics, and tall vessel design minimize footprint while producing high-quality effluent with long solids retention time (SRT) and short hydraulic retention time (HRT).
  • Steady-state performance: FBRs run continuously without backwashing or cleaning operations.
  • Robust: Resistant to plugging and channeling, tolerant of high TSS and metals, and designed for reliable recovery from upsets like power outages or chemical feed loss. Handles both hydraulic and contaminant shock loads.
  • Flexible: Operates effectively across a wide range of feed flows and qualities, providing an actual treatment technology (“green”) and not just a phase transfer treatment.
  • Proven and cost-effective: Enhanced over 30+ years of design and operational expertise for cost-effective, reliable performance.

Municipal FBR in operation for West Valley Water District, treating perchlorate with permitted efficiency.

Advanced Metals Removal (AMRS):

Envirogen’s AMRS is an active, high-efficiency treatment system that utilizes multiple Zero Valent Iron (ZVI) formulations to remove metals such as selenium, chromium, and arsenic, without generating toxic byproducts. The AMRS system design reduces capital costs by up to 50% compared to conventional ZVI systems and features flexible fluidization flow, supporting various ZVI media types to meet specific contaminant removal needs. Unlike in-situ ZVI systems, the AMRS is engineered for consistent, reliable performance across varied conditions and concentrations, ensuring treated water meets stringent discharge permits without toxicity.

AMRS advantages:

  • Compact design: Reduced footprint compared to traditional ZVI systems.
  • Versatile operation: Performs effectively under diverse conditions and contaminant concentrations.
  • Optimized pH control: Automatic pH adjustment for enhanced removal efficiency.
  • Safe discharge: Treated water can be safely released with no toxicity impact.
  • Validated performance: Pilot testing available and recommended for permit compliance.

Envirogen has completed extensive research and testing of various iron-based media available in the market to understand the performance differences and to allow selection of the optimum zero valent iron media for your required application

Other treatment methods:

In addition to the above specialized technologies, Envirogen also can design and provide more traditional physico-chemical treatment offerings such as carbon filtration, coagulation-filtration, and reverse osmosis.

Envirogen Experience

Recent wins, case studies, and articles:

Life Cycle Cost Solutions – Performance Guarantees

As environmental regulations become more stringent and financial resources remain constrained, Envirogen provides cradle-to-grave technology and service solutions for municipal drinking water. Our approach safeguards public health and supports thriving communities.

By focusing on total expenditure (TOTEX) and strategic asset management, we deliver both operational and capital efficiencies across the asset’s lifecycle. This makes Envirogen a trusted partner in sustainable water and wastewater treatment across hundreds of installations worldwide. Our experience includes pioneering the first-ever hexavalent chromium treatment system permitted in California with Cal Water and addressing nitrate treatment needs for clients like the City of San Fernando and Monte Vista Water District.

We’re dedicated to long-term solutions that not only meet but exceed client expectations, confidently backing our project outcomes with performance guarantees on a warrantied basis.