Fiskville – PFAS Water Treatment Plant

Project Description

The former Country Fire Authority (CFA) Victorian Emergency Management Training Centre at Fiskville is notable for its extensive PFAS (per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances) rehabilitation efforts. SciDev joined the landmark project to address one of Australia’s most significant PFAS contamination challenges. Our approach involved designing, constructing, and operating a state-of-the-art water treatment plant (WTP) to manage and remediate heavily PFAS-contaminated water effectively. 

The complexity of the Fiskville project stemmed from the high variability in water quality across different site areas, with PFAS levels reaching up to 600µg/L and post-total oxidizable precursor (TOPA) levels as high as 685µg/L. Our WTP was meticulously engineered to treat up to 500m³ of contaminated water daily, meeting stringent discharge requirements including ultra-trace PFAS levels and oxidisable precursors, with treated water consistently achieving <0.002µg/L for both total PFAS and post-TOPA. 

The WTP was a modular design, constructed off-site which proved crucial due to the remote site location. Advanced pre-treatment processes, including coagulation, flocculation, and oxidation, were employed to address the elevated PFAS, oxidizable precursors, and solids. High-speed decanter centrifuges and a variety of ion exchange resins, adsorptive media, and lead-lag systems facilitated effective PFAS removal. 

Throughout the project, the WTP successfully handled increased volumes, with a peak daily treatment of 684m³—37% above the design flow rate—during heavy rains, preventing uncontrolled discharge and adhering to Victorian EPA licence standards. By processing approximately 80ML of contaminated water—far exceeding the initial estimate of 8.6ML—the plant demonstrated exceptional efficiency and cost-effectiveness, saving significant time and resources. 

Our innovative solutions and operational excellence ensured the successful management of PFAS waste, positioning the Fiskville project as a benchmark in environmental remediation.