Industrie De Nora has been selected by the Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) to supply its SORB FX Ion Exchange (IX) PFAS removal system for one of the United States’ most significant advanced water treatment projects.
The technology will be deployed at HRSD’s Nansemond Treatment Plant as part of the Sustainable Water Infrastructure for Tomorrow (SWIFT) programme, a landmark initiative designed to strengthen long-term water security in eastern Virginia.
The Nansemond facility plays a central role in HRSD’s indirect potable reuse programme, treating municipal wastewater to drinking water standards before recharging it into the Potomac Aquifer, the region’s primary underground water source.
The SWIFT programme aims to address falling groundwater levels and saltwater intrusion, two major challenges threatening the area’s future water supply.
The project, designed by Tetra-Tech and Carollo Engineers and constructed by water and wastewater contractor Garney, further expands De Nora’s growing portfolio of PFAS treatment solutions.
The company has secured ten PFAS project awards in recent months, reinforcing its position as a provider of advanced contaminant removal technologies for municipal water systems.
De Nora’s SORB FX system is designed to treat up to 34 million gallons of water per day (MGD) at the Nansemond facility. The installation will feature eleven 14-foot-diameter ion exchange vessels operating in parallel, with one additional vessel available as standby capacity.
The system has been engineered for flexibility, allowing vessels to be adapted for future media technologies as improved treatment solutions become available.
Its design incorporates a patent-pending inlet distributor and SORB OTTO underdrain system with a custom over-drain and under-drain configuration. This enables greater media bed utilization before replacement, helping extend system life, reduce media changeout frequency and lower long-term operating costs.
The fully externally serviceable design also eliminates confined space requirements, improving operational efficiency and safety.
strengthening a long-term partnership
The SORB FX system selection builds on nearly two decades of collaboration between De Nora and HRSD, supported by the successful operation of nine DE NORA TETRA Denite biological filters currently used by HRSD.
The partnership includes a unique operating approach developed by HRSD that has further improved nutrient removal performance for the benefit of the local community and environment.
The Nansemond installation is expected to become a flagship reference project as utilities across the country face growing regulatory and public health demands to address PFAS contamination.
