Process Validation for Reverse Osmosis Pilot Treatment System

2026-11-03

The County of Cumberland requests proposals from qualified vendors to provide a pilot validation study for the treatment of landfill leachate using Specialty Reverse Osmosis ( RO ) technology . The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed system in removing PFAS compounds from leachate prior to discharge to a municipal wastewater treatment facility . The study will focus on validating operational requirements , performance metrics , and treatment efficiency to inform potential full - scale implementation . The reject stream from the RO system will be evaluated by the County during this study for additional concentration and management using foam fractionation system and destruction technology . SCOPE OF WORK & VENDOR ’ S PROPOSAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS 4 . 1 SCOPE OF WORK A . PROCESS VALIDATION FOR REVERSE OSMOSIS PILOT TREATMENT SYSTEM The Selected Vendor shall provide a fully skid - mounted Pilot Reverse Osmosis ( RO ) system and conduct a four - week onsite validation study to demonstrate system performance for PFAS removal from landfill leachate . The system shall include any and all pretreatment required for the system to operate successfully . The Vendor shall deliver and install the pilot unit and perform system commissioning to verify proper installation , instrumentation , and operational readiness , followed by system startup and establishment of stable operating conditions . The four - week validation study period shall commence only after successful completion of commissioning and startup and shall not include the time required for these activities . The Lump Sum Price shall cover the pilot system for commissioning , startup , one month of operation , and demobilization . The scope includes design , fabrication , and delivery of the pilot treatment system ; system commissioning and startup ; operator training ; technical support during installation and operation ; monitoring and data collection ; and preparation of performance reports . The Vendor shall provide delivery FOB to the Owner ’ s Fayetteville , N . C . facility . A qualified technician shall be present onsite during system setup , commissioning , and startup to verify proper installation and operation of the pilot unit . The pilot system shall be designed to treat a minimum of 5 gpm of raw leachate , produce approximately 1 gpm of RO reject , and achieve a minimum system recovery of 70 %. Any necessary pretreatment such as solids removal shall be incorporated to protect RO membranes . The system shall operate for 8 hours per day , 5 days per week , over the four - week period . The study shall include installation , commissioning , and startup of the pilot system . All electrical components shall be rated NEMA 4X , corrosion - resistant , and suitable for outdoor operation or temporary shelter . The Selected Vendor should remotely supervise pilot system operation , provide training to the Owner ’ s engineer , HDR , including HDR ’ s designated operator , and implement automated controls to safely manage the pilot system with minimal manual intervention . During the study period , effluent and RO concentrate flows shall be collected and monitored . Samples will be analyzed by the Owner ’ s engineer , HDR , through its contracted laboratory using EPA Method 1633 and other applicable standard analytical methods . Owner ’ s engineer , HDR will maintain detailed operational records , retain RO membranes for post - study evaluation , and prepare a final report summarizing system performance , sampling results , and recommendations for full - scale system design . The Counties normal work hours are Monday – Friday 6 : 00AM – 5 : 00PM . B . REQUIREMENTS The pilot system shall be capable of outdoor installation , or , if necessary , placed under a temporary tent structure . The County will provide a level gravel surface suitable for installation of the pilot treatment system within the designated installation area shown in Figures 1 and 2 . The pilot system shall draw leachate from an Owner - provided 275 - gallon feed tote , which may supply multiple treatment systems . The system shall include feed pumps , which will be provided by the Owner ’ s engineer , HDR , and all necessary pretreatment and treatment equipment . The Owner will provide a 275 - gallon effluent storage tote and a separate 275 - gallon RO concentrate storage tote . The system shall be designed to treat a minimum of 5 gpm of raw leachate and produce at least 1 gpm of RO reject , which will be further processed for concentration and residuals management , and shall meet the design criteria in Part I and Part J . All sampling and analysis shall be performed by the Owner ’ s engineer , HDR . HDR will provide an operator for 8 hours per day , while the Selected Vendor shall provide a technical representative to supervise setup and startup and to train the engineer ’ s operator . The Selected Vendor may elect to have a representative on - site for part or all of the validation study . Procedures for 8 - hour / day operation shall be developed by the Selected Vendor ; if the system needs to operate 24 hours per day , provisions must be made for automatic operation and , if necessary , effluent recirculation during unmanned periods . The Owner intends to retain RO membranes for post - study evaluation of condition and expected life . Following commissioning and startup , the system shall operate for four weeks at 8 hours per day , 5 days per week . Daily sampling will be performed by the Owner and reject flows from pretreatment will be measured and occasionally sampled for final disposition . Pretreatment is expected to include some form of solids removal . C . ELECTRICAL a . The treatment system shall be delivered as a skid - mounted systems including all electric equipment , conduit , junction boxes and wiring . b . All electrical components provided shall be rated for a corrosive environment and housed in a NEMA 4X enclosure . c . Owner will provide power to the vicinity of the treatment area . The vendor will be responsible for connection to the system . d . Installation requirements must conform to applicable codes and standards . D . OPERATION 1 . Operational Sequences : a . It is the intent of the Owner to have operators present for 8 + hours / day / 5 days per week except in extreme circumstances . If the system is proposed to run 24 hours a day , provision should be made for automatic operation and possibly to recirculate effluent as system will not be manned during off shifts . b . Leachate from the existing leachate basin , will be fed via Owner supplied pump to the a Owner supplied holding tote from which the Selected Vendor shall pump into the RO system . c . Effluent from the RO System shall be pumped into a storage tote supplied by the Owner for short term equalization and blended with treated reject stream prior to discharge to the landfill leachate collection system as indicated on Figure 2 . d . RO reject will be discharged by the Selected Vendor into a storage tote supplied by the Owner in the building for short term equalization prior to discharging into the foam fractionation system for additional concentration of PFAS compounds .

North Carolina

2026-05-08