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Operator Training for PFAS Treatment in Drinking Water - Live Online Training

Start
January 13, 2026
8:00 AM
End
January 14, 2026
5:00 PM
Location
Live Online Training

Registration

Arizona Drinking Water Treatment Professionals
By Invitation Only

January 13 - 14, 2026, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. MST (2 Days)

Mountain Time Zone

Live Interactive Online Training
Presented by Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and
the National Environmental Management Academy

Course Reviews (4.8/5):

Join us for a FREE, two-day PFAS training designed specifically for Arizona drinking water treatment plant operators with systems serving fewer than 10,000 people. This online course will cover the science behind PFAS, PFAS treatment strategies, and the latest regulations for PFAS in drinking water systems. Attendees will have the opportunity to earn PDHs. Space is limited and attendance is by invitation only, so be sure to secure your spot early. Staff from large drinking water systems (serving more than 10,000 people) may email konrad.sara@azdeq.gov with any questions or to be added to the waitlist.

Course Topics

PFAS Overview

• What Are PFAS?

• Environmental Challenges

• Polymers vs. Non-Polymers

Drinking Water Regulations

• Federal MCLs for PFAS

• Hazard Index Calculation
• MCL Rounding Rules

• Significant Figures

PFAS Regulation History

• Phaseout of PFOA, PFOS, & Related Precursors

• EPA's Lifetime Health Advisory Timeline
• Recent Federal PFAS Regulations

PFAS Sources

• Production History

• Common Source Types
• Usage by Industry

PFAS Detections in Drinking Water

• National PFAS Detections

• UCMR 5 Results
• Detections in Arizona

PFAS Terminology

• Classes & Subclasses

• Perfluorinated vs. Polyfluorinated
• Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs)

• GenX

• Precursors

• Linear vs. Branched

• Short-Chain vs. Long-Chain

PFAS Health Effects

• Animals

• Humans

Common PFAS Sources

• Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF)

• Landfills
• Wastewater Treatment Plants

• Industrial Facilities

PFAS Chemical Properties

• Anionic Regulated PFAS

• Hydrophilic Head & Hydrophobic Tail

• Anion Exchange Capacity (AEC)

• Partitioning

PFAS Movement in the Environment

• PFAS in Soil & Groundwater

• Groundwater Plume Lengths

• PFAS Plumes in Arizona

• PFAS in Air & Rainwater

• Precursor Transformation

Drinking Water Sampling

• Sampling Locations & Procedures

• Initial PFAS Monitoring

• Compliance Monitoring

Analytical Methods

• Methods 533 vs. 537.1

• Suspended Sediment Issues

• Isotope Dilution

• Total Oxidizable Precursor Assay

Interpreting Lab Results

• Quality Assurance & Quality Control

• Field Blanks

• Lab Terminology

General Drinking Water Treatment

• Terminology

• Competitive Sorption & Overshoot

• Pretreatment

• Disinfection Issues

• Performance Monitoring

• Media Reactivation and Disposal

• Non-Treatment Options

Best Available Technologies (BATs)

• Granular Activated Carbon (GAC)

• Anion Ion Exchange (AIX)

• Reverse Osmosis (RO)

• Nanofiltration (NF)

• BAT Comparison

Technology Selection & Pilot Testing

GAC vs. AIX Case Studies

BAT Drinking Water Treatment Costs

Point of Use & Point of Entry Systems

Other PFAS Treatment Technologies

• Alternative Sorbents

• Surface Active Foam Fractionation

• Ozofractionation

• Chemical Oxidation/Reduction

• Supercritical Water Oxidation

• Electrochemical Oxidation

• Plasma Treatment

• Sonochemical Treatment

• Hydrothermal Liquefaction

Intended Audience: This course is intended for drinking water treatment professionals seeking an improved understanding of effective technologies and strategies for removing PFAS from public water supplies.

Education Level: Introductory to advanced. General principles, current research, and advanced topics are presented to ensure all levels benefit from attending. Familiarity with general drinking water treatment is required.

Course Materials: 2026 updated course proceedings and references (310 color pages - PDF).

Credit: 12 PDHs or 1.2 CEUs for completing 15 hours of instruction.

Registration: Open to drinking water treatment professionals in Arizona by invitation only. If you have a registration code, you may register online or by calling us at (800) 385-0783. If you are in Arizona and did not received an invitation, please inquire about attendance by emailing konrad.sara@azdeq.gov.

Location: Your office or home - anywhere you can get comfortable and online.

About the Instructor: Erick McWayne has over thirty years of professional experience in environmental quality management and teaching related courses. As a consultant, he managed contaminated surface water, soil, and groundwater projects for the Department of Defense and other clients. He currently provides consulting support to environmental projects and teaches courses in contaminant chemistry, transport and fate, geochemistry, hydrogeology, and remediation with the University of California Davis and the National Environmental Management Academy (NEMA).

(800) 385-0783