Eau Claire Receives First 3M PFAS Settlement Installment

EAU CLAIRE, Wis (WCFW) -The City of Eau Claire has received the first portion of a settlement relating to a class action lawsuit against 3M over PFAS contamination.

According to a press release, the city received the first $1.68 million of the settlement. 3M is expected to pay a total of around $9.4 million in installments through 2033. The settlement funding is meant to help the city address issues with PFAS contamination in the water supply.

In addition to the 3M settlement, the City of Eau Claire is also involved in class action lawsuits against DuPont, BASF, and Tyco regarding PFAS contamination. Officials believe the combined settlements will provide the city with over $12 million to address contamination from the forever chemicals.

As part of the remediation efforts, a PFAS removal facility is being built at the Eau Claire Water Treatment Plant. Construction on the roughly $20 million project began last year. City officials hoped most of the costs would be covered by the class action settlements. That facility is expected to open early next year.

In recent years, the city has shut down a number of wells to protect the integrity of the drinking water. PFAS have been linked to a number of negative health effects, including cancer. The level of the forever chemicals in the water supply has generally remained below concentration levels regulated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, the City has been able to avoid disruptions to water service seen in other municipalities struggling with PFAS contamination.