Carmel considers additional $20K to complete water study 

The town of Carmel is moving forward with a critical water safety study that seeks an additional $20,000 to complete a pilot program aimed at reducing potentially harmful chemicals in the municipal drinking water supply. 

 The study, which has already run 13 months, tests methods to remove PFOAs and PFOS—synthetic chemicals linked to health risks such as cancer and liver damage—from local water supplies. 

The pilot, conducted by J. Robert Folchetti & Associates (JRFA), initially estimated costs to be around $140,000 for a seven-month study period. 

“The objective was to determine the actual life of the granular activated carbon (GAC) under our operating conditions,” explained John Folchetti, CEO of JRFA in an email. However, the study revealed that the GAC media was exhausted at nine months, prompting the town to extend the pilot four more months to test ion exchange (IX) and Organoclay treatments. Both methods successfully reached a 12-month operational mark. 

PFOAs (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid) are part of a larger class of chemicals called PFAS, often used in nonstick cookware, firefighting foams, and waterproof coatings. Long-term exposure has been linked to serious health risks, making their removal from drinking water a top priority for municipalities. 

Town engineer Richard Franzetti went before the Town Board at its Feb. 11 meeting and explained that the extension of the pilot project has increased costs beyond the original estimate. Equipment rental, extended testing, and other fees pushed expenses over the initial $140,000, with the remaining $20,350 for demobilization still pending. Franzetti recommended funding the additional amount through existing 2026 operating budgets. 

“Donna Esteves (account clerk for the Engineering Department) and Mary Ann Maxwell (town comptroller) believe this cost can be borne from operating budgets,” Folchetti wrote in a Feb. 2 email. 

Franzetti stressed the importance of completing the study before final decisions are made.  

“This investigation is essential to ensure we are providing safe drinking water," he said. 

The study’s findings will guide the town on which treatment technologies to implement to protect residents from harmful PFAS contamination, while also informing future budget allocations. The costs, when spread across the 14 water districts, remain manageable, town officials said.