374Water Inc. (NASDAQ:SCWO) has outlined plans to use its AirSCWO technology and Waste Destruction Services (WDS) to process spent granular activated carbon (GAC) and ion exchange (IX) media generated by PFAS drinking water treatment. The company said it is in discussions with engineering firms, treatment providers, media suppliers and utilities as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requirements move toward implementation.
#EPA PFAS limits drive treatment demand
The EPA’s April 2024 National Primary Drinking Water Regulation established enforceable maximum contaminant levels of 4.0 parts per trillion for both PFOA and PFOS. Those limits remain in effect.
According to nationwide monitoring data released by the EPA in August 2026, more than 10% of approximately 10,000 public water systems with complete results were above at least one PFAS maximum contaminant level. The proportion was 15.5% among large systems serving more than 10,000 people.
Public water systems must complete initial PFAS monitoring, report results through Consumer Confidence Reports, comply with the applicable maximum contaminant levels and notify the public about violations. 374Water said treatment systems needed for compliance are being designed, bid and built.
The American Water Works Association has estimated that compliance will cost the water sector $3.8 billion to $5.5 billion annually once treatment is in place, according to 374Water. The company said that estimate does not include Capital Expenditures for infrastructure.
#Spent media remains after PFAS removal
GAC and IX are among the technologies identified by the EPA for PFAS removal from drinking water. They capture PFAS but do not destroy it, leaving the contaminants concentrated in the media when it becomes spent.
374Water said treatment beds are replaced as they reach breakthrough, often annually, creating a recurring stream of spent material. The company said a single mid-sized utility can generate approximately 80,000 pounds of PFAS-laden spent GAC each year, while one of the largest GAC installations in North Carolina holds nearly 3 million pounds of carbon.
PFAS-selective IX resin is generally intended for single use and is not regenerated, according to the company. PFOA and PFOS also remain designated as hazardous substances under CERCLA, a designation upheld by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit in August 2026.
#AirSCWO technology and Orlando facility
374Water said AirSCWO is designed to process PFAS-containing liquids and solid materials, including spent GAC and IX resin. The company describes the process as breaking PFAS down into water, carbon dioxide and mineral salts rather than reactivating, burning or burying the spent media.
An Army Corps of Engineers Engineer Research and Development Center technical report, ERDC TR-26-19, authored by Arcadis, reported that an AirSCWO system operating at 374Water’s Orlando WDS facility achieved 99.9993% total PFAS destruction and removal efficiency on aqueous film-forming foam. The result was measured by TOP Assay across 42 PFAS species.
374Water said treated effluent met EPA maximum contaminant levels for all regulated PFAS, and that PFAS stack emissions were measured without secondary air abatement. The testing involved AFFF, which the company described as one of the most concentrated PFAS waste streams.
Orlando is the first hub in the company’s WDS strategy. It is designed to aggregate AFFF and other concentrated PFAS waste streams, including spent GAC, spent IX media and foam fractionate. The company also intends to serve the market through additional WDS hubs.
#Company discussions and revenue projections
374Water said it is holding active discussions with large engineering firms, treatment service providers, media suppliers and utilities regarding spent-media destruction. The company has previously forecasted that Orlando, at its current planned capacity, has the potential to generate approximately $3 million to $5 million in annual revenue at targeted operating levels.
374Water’s expansion plan anticipates increasing capacity approximately 3-4 times, with a target of $10 million to $14 million in annual revenue, subject to waste mix, utilization, and pricing. These statements are forward-looking and are based on the company’s current expectations, assumptions, estimates, beliefs and projections. 374Water said they involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including factors beyond its control.
Chief Operating Officer Brad Meyers said the drinking water requirements specify when utilities must remove PFAS but do not determine how the captured material is managed. He said the company is developing a model in Orlando that can process the spent carbon and resin itself.
#Key Takeaways
- 374Water is positioning AirSCWO and its WDS operations to process spent GAC and IX media from PFAS treatment systems.
- The EPA’s April 2024 rule set enforceable limits of 4.0 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, which remain in effect.
- EPA monitoring data released in August 2026 showed more than 10% of approximately 10,000 public water systems with complete results above at least one PFAS limit.
- An ERDC technical report reported 99.9993% total PFAS destruction and removal efficiency for an AirSCWO system at the Orlando facility across 42 PFAS species.
- 374Water’s expansion plan anticipates increasing capacity approximately 3-4 times and targets $10 million to $14 million in annual revenue, subject to waste mix, utilization, and pricing.
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