Dane County Regional Airport has reported a 99% reduction in prominent PFAS compounds at its Darwin site pilot remediation project — and the technology driving that result traces directly back to VIYA.
In a press release issued on January 22, 2026, Dane County announced promising preliminary data from its $1.5 million pilot project at the former Darwin fire training area near the intersection of Darwin Street and International Lane in Madison, Wisconsin. The targeted treatment well at the center of the contamination source area showed a 99% reduction in PFAS compounds, while the immediately downgradient well recorded an 86% reduction in PFOA from baseline. Sampling data showed PFOA dropping from a peak of 20,000 parts per trillion (PPT) in June to just 2.7 PPT in November, and PFOS falling from 2,870 PPT to 3.1 PPT over the same period.
The pilot builds on an earlier remediation effort at Truax Field, which demonstrated an average 97% PFAS removal rate at a downgradient testing well — results strong enough to prompt the county to expand the program to a larger, more complex source area.
The Technology: Native Microbes and BAM
At the core of this project is an approach pioneered by ORIN Technologies, the Wisconsin-based environmental firm that merged with McMillan McGee in 2025 to form [VIYA](https://www.viyaenv.com). The process combines Bioavailable Absorbent Media (BAM) with native, site-specific microbes capable of naturally degrading PFAS compounds in groundwater — a method the press release describes as the first of its kind in the country.
Unlike conventional PFAS containment strategies that capture and concentrate contaminants without destroying them, this approach facilitates actual chemical breakdown of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the subsurface. The work at Darwin is being conducted in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and in partnership with Fixed Earth Innovations, headquartered in Canada, with whom VIYA has formed a joint venture.
Dane County Executive Melissa Agard pointed to the project as a model for proactive environmental investment: “Our science-driven approach helps protect our community for future generations and positions Dane County as a leader in addressing environmental risks.”
Airport Executive Director Mark Papko added that the strong initial results could inform how PFAS remediation is incorporated into the Airport Master Plan currently underway.
VIYA: Bringing Advanced Remediation to Complex Sites
The Dane County results reflect the kind of work VIYA was built to do. Formed through the combination of ORIN Technologies and McMillan McGee, VIYA brings together in-situ chemical remediation, thermal treatment, and biological approaches to solve contamination challenges that conventional methods cannot. PFAS treatment is among the company’s core areas of focus, alongside chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, and metals.
To learn more about the technologies behind projects like this one, visit VIYA’s solutions page
Monitoring and sampling at the Darwin site will continue for another six months, with DCRA evaluating next steps and potential integration into the Airport Master Plan based on those findings.
*VIYA is an environmental remediation company formed through the merger of ORIN Technologies and McMillan McGee in 2025. Co-headquartered in Calgary Canada and Verona, Wisconsin, VIYA specializes in in-situ treatment of complex contamination including PFAS, chlorinated solvents, petroleum hydrocarbons, and metals.*
