Since 2018, ECT2 has been at the forefront of PFAS cleanup efforts for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). With a deep commitment to excellence, we design and provide cutting-edge equipment to treat PFAS-impacted groundwater, drinking water, surface water, and waters highly impacted by aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). Recently, we’ve expanded our expertise into the AFFF cleanout and transition sector, broadening our impact in addressing these persistent and challenging chemicals.
Attracting Top Talent in PFAS Cleanup
Our dedication to PFAS remediation has allowed us to attract some of the best minds in the field. Among them is David Kempisty, Ph.D., P.E., the former U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) Environmental Engineering and Science Director, who joined ECT2 after an illustrious career in the Air Force. During his time with the Air Force, he authored two textbooks on PFAS – well before ‘forever chemicals’ become a widely recognized environmental threat. His expertise and leadership further solidify ECT2’s position as a leader in PFAS cleanup.
High Profile Projects and Advanced Technology
ECT2 has secured several high-visibility projects in recent years, including the treatment of PFAS in groundwater at major military bases. One such project involves the nearly completed design and construction of a single-use strong base anion exchange resin (IEX) system with the capacity of 1,200 gallons per minute (gpm) at the South Playa region of Cannon Air Force Base (AFB). Our patented regenerable IEX systems are operational at multiple locations, including an ongoing Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) project at Former Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Willow Grove and a six-year pilot project for PFAS groundwater treatment at the former Pease Air Force Base.
Our regeneration process, which produces highly concentrated PFAS still bottoms at a >1:500,000 ratio, has been paired with over ten destruction vendor technologies to refine and develop cost-effective combined PFAS treatment and destruction approaches. This concentration step is crucial for making PFAS destruction economically viable. In addition, ECT2 has constructed an 8,000 gpm regenerable resin system for clients like 3M, showcasing our ability to handle large-scale, complex projects.
Containerized Systems and Mobile Treatment Solutions
ECT2 also offers containerized treatment systems for PFAS-impacted water, applicable to drinking water, holding ponds, or surface and groundwaters. A notable example is our containerized granular activated carbon (GAC) and IEX system at Eareckson Air Station (AES) in Shemya, Alaska, which has been treating potable water for PFAS since 2020 without a single exceedance. Our mobile treatment systems provide flexible solutions for various DoD installations. At one undisclosed base, we temporarily mobilized to treat 200,000 gallons of groundwater with PFAS concentrations at 300,000 parts per trillion (ppt), successfully reducing PFAS to drinking level goals, allowing for discharge directly to the sanitary sewers with minimal disruption to base activities. We mobilized our innovative AvPure advanced oxidation pre-treatment process to ensure low level criteria would be efficiently met with a single media treatment pass.
Expertise in Complex Water Treatment
ECT2 is renowned for developing treatment designs tailored to the unique characteristics of different water sources. Our in-house R&D labs can perform Rapid Small-Scale Column Tests (RSSCT) or bench-scale testing to design the most effective and efficient systems. With over seven IEX resins in our arsenal, each offering slightly different performance characteristics, we can optimize resin replacement and pre-treatment processes to achieve significant cost savings for the DoD.
Looking to the Future
We are excited about the future of PFAS treatment for the DoD. We’ve been awarded several large-scale IEX projects at bases such as Tinker AFB, Randolph AFB, Goodfellow AFB, and Cannon AFB, all of which are currently in the treatability study or design phase. Our work with the DIU program aims to develop prototypes that pair regenerable resin still bottoms with the most advanced PFAS destruction technologies. These comprehensive prototypes will be available by the summer of 2025, providing cost-effective solutions for future Federal projects. Finally, ECT2 has completed with work within the industry using our foam fractionation systems and look forward to providing this technology at DoD sites in the near future. 
Lessons Learned
Since installing our first DoD system at the former Pease AFB in 2018, we’ve learned that a comprehensive design approach is essential for creating the most efficient and smoothly operating PFAS treatment system. Now with more than 9 billion gallons of PFAS-impacted water treated, ECT2 is ready to apply our know-how to solve any PFAS issue. Our experience, combined with our dedication to R&D, make ECT2 one of the most sought-after water treatment companies in the world.
Commitment to Excellence and Compliance
Our commitment to environmental stewardship, sustainability, and compliance with all regulatory standards underpins every project we take on. We are proud to continue our partnership with the DoD and remain dedicated to finding innovative solutions to PFAS impacts. ECT2 is not just responding to the current PFAS crisis – we’re shaping the future of water and air treatment. With our advanced technologies, top-tier talent, and relentless pursuit of excellence, we are paving the way for a clearer, safer world.
