PFAS | CDM Smith

Skip to Main Content

Gloved hands holding a pipette and test tube, transferring liquid in a lab.

Gloved hands holding a pipette and test tube, transferring liquid in a lab.

Home
Practices
PFAS

PFAS

There is no single solution to PFAS. The right answer depends on the source, regulatory requirements and treatment objectives. Our researchers and engineers bring those pieces together, from site characterization, forensics and fate-and-transport analysis through bench- and pilot-testing, treatment design, construction and operation.

Ian Ross, PhD

Practice Lead

Ian Ross, PhD

Ian Ross, PhD

Practice Lead

Ian Ross, PhD

How we support your PFAS goals

Scientist in lab coat and gloves examines test tube in laboratory with equipment and large windows.

Aerial view of industrial water treatment facility with large tanks and pipes, surrounded by paved and gravel areas.

Industrial water treatment facility with metal tanks and blue pipes.

How we support your PFAS goals

From understanding how PFAS move through soil, groundwater, wastewater and biosolids to evaluating the latest separation and destruction technologies, we help clients make decisions based on defensible science. That work gives utilities, industries and public agencies a stronger scientific foundation for moving from uncertainty to action.

Unparalleled PFAS treatment expertise

Internationally recognized scientists and engineers operate at the cutting-edge, with real-world solutions backed by science.

Research and testing laboratory

Our lab in Bellevue, Washington can characterize contaminants and conduct treatability studies for all market sectors.

Staying ahead of a dynamic regulatory climate

The firm’s strong connections with regulatory authorities helps us adapt to change and informs how we implement guidance.

Let’s Build Something Together

Have a project in mind or want to stay in the loop? Reach out to our team or subscribe to get the latest updates from our work.

Contact Us Subscribe

World Headquarters

75 State Street
Suite 701
Boston, MA 02109 USA

Follow Us

What We Do

Markets
Practices
Priorities
Projects
Innovation and Technologies

Who We Are

About Us
Careers
Cultural Threads Blog
Find Us
News

Resources

Insights
Subcontracting
Webinars

Legal & Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Accommodation Request
California Privacy Rights
Contract Vehicles

CDM Smith™ | CDM™ | WILBUR SMITH™

© 2026 CDM Smith. All rights reserved.

A winning contamination communication strategy

CDM Smith’s risk communication plans streamline projects, enhance transparency and alleviate stakeholder concerns.

How do facilities transition from AFFFs?

Jill Greene is an environmental expert dedicated to safeguarding our natural resources in the battle against PFAS. With two decades of experience focusing her work on hydrogeologic, stormwater and hazardous waste investigations, Jill reveals key insights on the challenge to transition from AFFF use and the team you'll need to do it.

Video thumbnail

How can we know the full extent of potential PFAS contamination?

PFAS precursors can transform into more harmful perfluorinated varieties through natural microbial activities or chemical oxidation. That means without sufficient analyses, it is impossible to really know if you have fully remediated a site or if PFAS contamination will return in the future.

Video thumbnail

Learn about our experience with PFAS

Always looking forward, we prepare today for the problems we may face tomorrow, guiding our clients through uncertainty and forging a path towards a more promising future.

View All Environment Projects

Rows of cylindrical filters with metal pipes in a water treatment system.

Rows of cylindrical filters with metal pipes in a water treatment system.

Brunswick County, North Carolina

Brunswick County leads PFAS water fight 

A North Carolina water utility’s leaders and CDM Smith’s drinking water experts are using low-pressure reverse osmosis (LPRO) to remove PFAS compounds from the water supply.

Interior of a water treatment plant with large beige tanks, blue pipes, and chemical containers.

Interior of a water treatment plant with large beige tanks, blue pipes, and chemical containers.

Ayer, Massachusetts

Ayer combats PFAS with dual treatment systems

To safeguard its drinking water, the Ayer Department of Public Works (DPW) partnered with CDM Smith to design two tailored PFAS treatment systems using innovative adsorption technologies.

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Breaking the cycle of PFAS on Nantucket

The island community teamed with CDM Smith experts to evaluate potential sources of PFAS contamination. Nantucket is moving toward better informed PFAS reduction and control strategies in the sewer collection system, wastewater treatment plant and landfill operations.

Aerial view of an airfield with various parked aircraft on tarmac, surrounded by grassy areas and nearby roads.

Aerial view of an airfield with various parked aircraft on tarmac, surrounded by grassy areas and nearby roads.

Turning PFAS data into decisions for the U.S. Air Force

For the U.S. Department of Defense, the need for PFAS fate and transport research and analysis is more urgent than ever.

Man in a light blue shirt standing outdoors with buildings in the background.

A global approach to emerging contaminants—coupled with our deep bench of technical experts—keeps CDM Smith on the cutting edge.

Ian Ross, PhD

PFAS Practice Leader

Ian is a global PFAS leader, with three decades of expertise in managing and treating emerging contaminants and delivering cost-effective solutions worldwide.

Related resources

View All Resources View All News

A gloved hand places a vial in a laboratory sample tray with numbered slots.

Insight

PFAS fingerprinting and the case for source control

Source control and pretreatment are among the most cost-efficient ways to fight PFAS. Our researchers are finding new, more efficient ways to identify and trace PFAS fingerprints in the environment.

Firefighters in silver suits spraying foam on aircraft wing for firefighting drill at airport.

Insight

What are aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs)?

Aqueous film forming foam (AFFF), a standard fire suppressant, is composed of chemicals including PFAS. While PFAS treatment research is ongoing, here are steps airports and other AFFF users can take to lower the risk of contamination.

Laboratory setup with tubes and columns for a PFAS treatability study.

Insight

How do you design a PFAS treatability study?

Charles Schaefer, director of CDM Smith's Research and Testing Laboratory, discusses PFAS treatability studies and their role in safeguarding water from contamination.

Abstract digital network with glowing blue and green nodes and lines.

On-demand webinar

What's happening next? Emerging contaminants, new PFAS, and beyond

In this co-hosted webinar with AMWA, panelists discussed the growing concern over emerging contaminants, particularly PFAS and microplastics, and their impact on water quality.

Related practices

View All Practices

Close-up of a muddy excavator track on a construction site with another blurred excavator in the background.

Remediation

We restore environments and protect communities by delivering innovative, science-based solutions that reduce risk and lifecycle costs. Using advanced technologies and adaptive strategies, we help clients achieve resilient, long-term results.

Bubbles rising underwater against a blue background.

Drinking Water

Whether your goals are to unlock new sources, enhance the quality and reliability of the supplies you have or upgrade the technologies you use, we can help you achieve water supply innovation.

Modern houses with solar panels by a canal under a bright sky.

Climate Resilience

We can no longer rely on the past to prepare for the future. Our teams work across water, transportation, environment and infrastructure to implement right-size solutions backed by climate science.

Aerial view of two circular water treatment tanks with blue metal structures.

Wastewater

Today's facilities need to do more with every dollar, every asset and every resource. We help utilities improve performance while preparing for what comes next.

Multiple water treatment pools under a clear blue sky.

Water Reuse

Water reuse is the future of water supply. CDM Smith is committed to strengthening water supply portfolios where they are most needed today and will be tomorrow.

Construction meeting with charts, hard hats, and a worker in a safety vest.

Program Management

CDM Smith’s program management team is bringing complexity under control by building strong, enduring relationships.

Ready to take the next steps?

We love collaborating with passionate individuals and organizations. If you want to talk about potential projects, reach out to our experts. If you're interested in joining our team, check our careers page for open positions or internships.

Talk to an Expert Explore Careers