Tampa Bay Water will receive $21 million from chemical companies 3M and DuPont to address PFAS contamination after a yearslong lawsuit over the pollutants known as “forever chemicals.”
Jack Prator reports for Tampa Bay Times.
In short:
- The settlement stems from a consolidated federal lawsuit filed in 2020 alleging PFAS from firefighting foam polluted water supplies in Florida and across the U.S.
- Tampa Bay Water plans to use the funds to install advanced filtration and other safety measures to meet federal limits on six PFAS compounds set to take effect in 2031.
- The payout comes as many federal and state environmental programs face budget cuts, giving local utilities rare funds for long-term water quality improvements.
Key quote:
“Six years ago, not a lot of people were talking about it. You’d be surprised how many (utilities) did not want to get involved.”
— Augie J. Ribeiro, CEO and managing attorney for Ventura Law
Why this matters:
PFAS, widely used since the mid-20th century in products from nonstick cookware to firefighting foam, persist in the environment and accumulate in human tissue. Exposure has been linked to cancers, liver damage and immune system harm. These chemicals leach into drinking water near military bases, airports and industrial sites, creating widespread contamination that is costly to clean up. As regulators tighten limits, water utilities must invest heavily in treatment technology or risk unsafe levels in tap water. Settlements like this one provide rare resources for communities grappling with pollutants that do not degrade over time and threaten both public health and ecosystems.
Learn more: Who’s really to blame for the PFAS in our drinking water?
