On April 16, 2024, the Yorba Linda Water District (YLWD/District) Board of Directors rededicated its state-of-the art PFAS Water Treatment Plant in honor of former YLWD Board President Dr. J. Wayne Miller. The J. Wayne Miller, Ph.D. Water Treatment Plant – capable of treating up to 25 million gallons of water per day – provides clean drinking water for the 80,000 customers the Yorba Linda Water District serves. YLWD welcomed over 80 attendees to the dedication ceremony, which included members of the community, elected officials, and District staff to recognize Dr. Miller’s remarkable contributions to the successful development of the largest Ion Exchange PFAS Water Treatment Plant in the nation.
Dr. Miller served as a member of the Yorba Linda Water District’s Board of Directors from December 2016 to November 2023 and provided exemplary governance during this time. He received his Ph.D. degree from the California Institute of Technology in Chemical Engineering and served on the faculty at University of California Riverside as an Adjunct Professor, where he taught classes on water quality and chemical and environmental engineering. Because of his extensive experience, Dr. Miller offered unpaid advisory counsel for the District as it went through the evaluation and mitigation process of YLWD’s PFAS Water Treatment Plant and frequently facilitated meetings between YLWD staff and PFAS experts.
The newly renamed J. Wayne Miller, Ph.D. Water Treatment Plant, located at YLWD headquarters, commenced operations in December 2021. Dr. Miller’s efforts were crucial in collaborating with the Orange County Water District’s (OCWD) Board of Directors and staff to establish a partnership for funding, constructing, and maintaining this facility.
“When we faced the task of building this plant, there was only one in the nation, in Northern California,” said Dr. Miller. “I am proud that we were able to successfully test the ion exchange technology and make it work for the Yorba Linda Water District, providing [our customers] clean drinking water and making our District less reliable on imported water.”
The J. Wayne Miller, Ph.D. Water Treatment Plant treats the District’s local groundwater supply, reduces imported water demands, and minimizes the effects on the electrical grid by pumping water during off-peak periods. YLWD appreciates the partnership with OCWD and its dedicated staff who worked diligently on this significant project. Infrastructure projects like this enable YLWD to serve its customers with high-quality, reliable water, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
