The funding will help the southeastern Colorado town meet federal PFAS regulations scheduled to take effect in 2027. The award accounts for about two-thirds of the federal money Colorado received to distribute, according to the state.

PFAS, often called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment, are used in products including firefighting foam and nonstick cookware. La Junta, a town of about 7,000 along the Arkansas River, draws water from shallow wells fed by the river.

Seaba said the town is looking upstream for the source of contamination. Water flowing past La Junta has already passed through Colorado Springs or Pueblo, or both, he said, and PFAS have gradually reached the town’s groundwater.

La Junta’s treatment plant can remove contaminants, but the volume of PFAS is overwhelming the wastewater system. The town has been blending the treated wastewater before discharging it into the river, Seaba said. Although the resulting levels are similar to naturally occurring levels, he said, they remain above what the town’s permit allows.

The town is also adding filtration to its drinking-water treatment system. That process will leave behind concentrated waste containing PFAS. La Junta plans to use evaporative ponds, relying on the region’s sunlight to remove the water, Seaba said. The remaining sludge would go to a landfill instead of flowing back into the Arkansas River.

Seaba said the grant, combined with earlier investments, is expected to enable a near-complete rehabilitation of the water treatment plant without imposing major costs on utility customers.