Water Illumination Completes Groundwater Pilot Demonstrating Non-Detectable PFAS Levels
Lake Forest, California — October 2025
Water Illumination Inc. is proud to announce the successful completion of a municipal groundwater pilot using its first-generation (GEN1) UV-based PFAS destruction system.
The field demonstration, conducted in collaboration with the Orange County Water District (OCWD)—a world-leading water agency that operates the largest groundwater replenishment system in the world—evaluated the real-world performance of Water Illumination’s patented UV-reduction process over a six-week testing period. The GEN1 system consistently degraded PFAS compounds, including PFOA and PFOS, to non-detectable levels, without generating secondary waste or requiring additional chemical treatment.
Results showed reliable PFAS destruction to below detection limits under field conditions. Energy demand remained consistent with expected values for advanced oxidation/reduction processes, and no harmful or regulated byproducts were detected within analytical monitoring limits. Operationally, the pilot skid demonstrated stable, automated control during extended runtimes, confirming the feasibility of deploying this system for continuous field-based PFAS destruction.
“These pilot results confirm that our UV technology achieves true PFAS destruction under realistic groundwater conditions,” said Dr. Xuejun Yu, Founder and CEO of Water Illumination. “We’re excited to demonstrate that safe, chemical-free PFAS elimination is not only possible but practical and scalable.”
This patented technology requires no chemical addition beyond pH adjustment and employs tunable reducing conditions to enable direct PFAS destruction. Water molecules act as the catalyst, generating reactive radicals that drive the breakdown of PFAS compounds into harmless end-products.
Following the success of the GEN1 pilot, Water Illumination is advancing development of its next-generation inline flow-through system (GEN2), engineered for higher throughput, enhanced automation, and expanded commercial applications. The company plans to initiate GEN2 field demonstrations in 2026. Contact us to learn more about our technology and ongoing demonstration programs.
About Water Illumination
Water Illumination Inc. develops rapid, affordable, and scalable UV-based PFAS destruction systems for municipal, industrial, defense, and agricultural water treatment. Founded as a University of California, Riverside spin-off, the company’s technology utilizes tunable deep UV-reduction processes to break down PFAS compounds into harmless end-products—delivering a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to conventional removal methods.
This picture shows the GEN1 pilot system operating at the Orange County Water District (OCWD) site.
This figure presents selected PFAS destruction performance results. Contact us to learn more.