March 2, 2022

Viraj de Silva Awarded 2021 AWWA Membrane Treatment Best Paper

Senior Treatment Process Engineer and PFAS expert Viraj deSilva, PhD, PE, BCEE was recently awarded the 2021 AWWA Membrane Treatment Best Paper for his work on “Managing and treating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in membrane concentrates.” The purpose of the award is to recognize and honor annually the author(s) of an outstanding advanced treatment of water paper published in AWWA Water Science from January through December of the previous year. Viraj was recognized at a ceremony at the recent 2022 AWWA/AMTA Membrane Technology Conference and Exposition.

Additionally, he presented on two topics at the conference:

• “Evaluating Membrane Options for PFAS Removal and Practices for Concentrate Management”
• “PFAS Removal for Potable Reuse – New Hurdles to Pass Through”

These topics are relevant as the EPA is preparing to set PFAS MCLs and beginning to monitor 29 PFAS compounds in water supplies under the agency’s recently passed fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5).