South Carolina Water Utilities President Craig Sorensen participated in a panel titled “Treatments, Policies, and Costs for Entities' PFAS Rules Compliance” at the Center for Public Utilities' Current Issues 2025 conference this week. The conference took place at New Mexico State University's Santa Fe campus and he was honored to speak alongside other utility professionals from across the country.
The emergence of PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," has become a critical issue that requires regulatory action. While methods like granulated activated carbon, ion exchange, and reverse osmosis can remove these contaminants, they are costly. Smaller water systems and municipal utilities, largely unregulated, struggle with these expenses, and even large companies face pressure from regulators about cost recovery. By 2027, all water providers must comply with the EPA's Final Rule on drinking water regulations and inform customers of any non-compliance by 2032.
This panel discussed the costs and risks of non-compliance, emerging technologies, Virginia's new point-of-source treatment legislation, the debate on acceptable contaminant levels, funding for necessary upgrades, and potential state regulation of water and wastewater quality.
The panel was moderated by Mary Anna Holden, managing director of Grove Street Advisors. Other Panelists included Josiah Cox, president of Central States Water, Dr. Chris Crockett, the chief environmental, safety and sustainability officer at Essential Utilities, Inc., and David Stanton, the president of CleanWater1
Responders included Commissioner Edward Lodge of the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, Chairman Patrick O’Connell of the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, and Commissioner Eric Skrmetta of the Louisiana Public Service Commission.