A federal district judge approved “forever chemical” manufacturer 3M’s $10.3 billion settlement with some of the nation’s largest public drinking water systems over PFAS contamination.
The order, published Friday out of the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, means eligible drinking water utilities could see settlement funds as early as this summer, offering welcomed assistance as utilities prepare to get in compliance with imminent EPA drinking water standards.
Last June, 3M announced it struck the landmark deal, which means the chemical company is on the hook for payments totaling between $10.3 billion and $12.5 billion over the next 13 years.
Judge Richard Gergel offered preliminary approval of the settlement in August, which gave water systems limited time to opt out. Only 897 of the roughly 12,000 eligible systems — about 7.5 percent — opted out of the settlement, wrote Gergel, an Obama appointee.
