Water providers begin receiving more than $900m from historic PFAS contamination settlements
The first wave of funds from the historic $6 billion 3M and DuPont water contamination settlements is now reaching water providers across the United States. These settlements, the largest of their kind in U.S. history, aim to offset the high costs of removing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from public drinking water systems.
The payouts are part of the Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) multi-district litigation (MDL No. 2873), a sweeping legal action against PFAS manufacturers. One of the firms involved in the litigation represented more than 280 public agencies, investor-owned utilities, and impacted water systems, holding producers like 3M and DuPont accountable for widespread PFAS contamination.
As of now, most eligible water systems are receiving approximately 20% of their total financial awards from 3M. Additional payments are scheduled to be distributed over the coming months and beyond, in accordance with the settlement terms. The law firm SL Environmental Law Group anticipates recovering nearly $1 billion for its clients from these initial settlements, with more to come from pending agreements with other manufacturers.
“These settlements will help communities across the country address the devastating costs of PFAS contamination,” said Ken Sansone, senior partner at SL Environmental Law Group. “While they represent only part of a wider effort needed to address the environmental and public health crises caused by decades of PFAS use, this financial recovery is a crucial first step. SL Environmental Law Group remains committed to holding the PFAS manufacturers – not utilities and their ratepayers – accountable for the costs of contamination caused by PFAS.”
The first wave of funds from the historic $6 billion 3M and DuPont water contamination settlements is now reaching water providers across the United States
The AFFF MDL has already led to several successful settlements for public water systems, helping utilities address clean-up costs that would otherwise fall on local ratepayers. The legal groundwork laid by these cases has opened the door to future claims from other entities affected by PFAS, including wastewater systems, airports, landfills, and fire training facilities.
With over two decades of experience in environmental contamination litigation, the firm representing many of the impacted agencies has already helped more than 400 clients recover over $2 billion through settlements and trial awards, including these recent PFAS-related awards.
In preparing claims, the legal team also uncovered additional recovery opportunities. For example, it assisted clients in doubling their estimated recovery in some cases and identified 1,600 inactive but potentially eligible water sources that might have otherwise gone unclaimed.
As Phase 1 disbursements continue, water systems that did not detect PFAS contamination in their supplies until after the June 2023 settlement announcement may still qualify for compensation. These systems are encouraged to consult legal counsel before the 2026 deadline to file claims. Entities facing PFAS contamination in soil, wastewater, or fire training sites are also urged to consider their legal options to mitigate long-term financial risk and secure recovery.
For a full list of affected clients or to explore legal options related to PFAS recovery, visit SL Environmental Law Group’s website.
