100 Million Dollar Investment Calgon Carbon to Expand Drinking Water Carbon Reactivation Capacity at US Plant

Calgon Carbon has recently announced a nearly 100-million-dollar investment to expand drinking water carbon reactivation capacity at its Ohio plant in the USA. With operations expected to begin in 2028, the project will add approx. 27 million pounds of annual drinking water carbon reactivation capacity.

Pennsylvania/USA – Calgon Carbon Corporation has recently announced a major expansion of drinking water carbon reactivation capacity at its Columbus, Ohio, plant. Valued at nearly 100 million dollars, the investment will add approximately 27 million pounds of annual drinking water carbon reactivation capacity, with operations expected to begin in 2028. The expansion positions Calgon Carbon to meet accelerating customer demand driven by U.S. EPA PFAS regulations and growing adoption of granular activated carbon as the treatment standard for municipal drinking water systems nationwide.

The Columbus plant, which holds NSF/ANSI Standard 61 certification for potable water reactivation, is one of six U.S. reactivation plants in Calgon Carbon’s network. The expansion will add two potable water kilns and supporting infrastructure, significantly increasing the facility’s capacity to serve municipal customers across the Midwest and Eastern United States.

Expanding Domestic Capacity to Meet Regulatory Demand

The EPA’s PFAS drinking water regulations have established strict maximum contaminant levels for PFOA, PFOS, and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, with compliance expected by 2031. Demand for long-term reactivation capacity has surged as utilities race to meet these requirements. A leading producer of granular activated carbon, which the EPA has designated a Best Available Technology for PFAS removal, Calgon Carbon is well-positioned to meet this accelerated adoption.

“Calgon Carbon has spent more than 80 years building the technology, infrastructure, and expertise that make investments like this possible,” said Steve Schott, President and CEO of Calgon Carbon. “Kuraray’s investment in our growth reflects their commitment to improve our living environment including pure water and clean air and the critical role activated carbon plays in treating drinking water. Our customers and communities are counting on us, and we are delivering.”

A Proven, Sustainable Approach to PFAS Treatment

Calgon Carbon’s proprietary thermal reactivation process restores spent granular activated carbon to service while simultaneously destroying adsorbed contaminants. Recently published, peer-reviewed research in the Remediation Journal has confirmed that Calgon Carbon’s drinking water carbon reactivation process removes adsorbed PFAS from spent carbon to below detectable levels and achieves greater than 99.9 % PFAS destruction removal efficiency, with no reformed PFAS or products of incomplete combustion detected in stack emissions. Reactivation reduces greenhouse gas emissions by up to 80 % compared to virgin activated carbon production and eliminates the need for landfill disposal of spent carbon, providing utilities with a sustainable, circular solution for long-term PFAS management.

Continued Investment in U.S. Infrastructure

The Columbus expansion is part of a broader commitment by Calgon Carbon and Kuraray to expand domestic activated carbon manufacturing and reactivation capacity. The company is also announcing the development of its Tyger River Plant, a new drinking water carbon reactivation facility on an 83-acre site the company has secured in Moore, South Carolina. Together, these investments will significantly strengthen Calgon Carbon’s ability to serve the growing number of U.S. utilities preparing for PFAS compliance.

“We have the largest reactivation network in the world, the only peer‑reviewed evidence demonstrating the effectiveness of our proprietary reactivation process, and a domestic manufacturing base that no competitor can match,” said Jenalle Brewer, Senior Vice President of Drinking Water Solutions and Global Business Development. “Our customers are preparing for the largest regulatory shift in drinking water treatment in a generation. With Columbus expanding and Tyger River under development, we are making certain they have a partner with the capacity, the technology, and the track record to execute on time and without compromise.”

These capacity expansions build on the foundation of Calgon Carbon’s Operation Bedrock program, launched in 2025 to provide U.S. water utilities and industrial customers with domestic, reliable, tariff-free activated carbon supply. With global trade volatility driving up the landed cost of imported carbon, Operation Bedrock positions Calgon Carbon customers to benefit from a fully domestic supply chain, including coal mined in the United States, activated carbon manufactured and reactivated at American facilities, and equipment fabricated and serviced by American workers. The Columbus and Tyger River investments extend that commitment by ensuring the reactivation capacity is in place to support long-term customer needs and PFAS compliance timelines.

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