TAMPA, Fla. — If you live in the Tampa Bay and surrounding counties, your water is set to be cleaner than before. After winning a class action lawsuit and receiving more than $21-million, Tampa Bay Water will be able to ensure safe drinking water for years to come.
At Monday’s meeting, the law firm representing Tampa Bay Water announced its win against the manufacturers of PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals.”
"We’re proud to report that we have settled for Tampa Bay Water," said Augie Ribeiro, the CEO and Managing Partner of Ventura Law.
WATCH: Tampa Bay Water secures $21M+ in lawsuit over ‘forever chemicals’ to ensure safer drinking water
About 90 percent of the money—$21.7 million—is coming from 3M, which has already settled. The remaining 10 percent will come from DuPont and other companies.
"It’s extraordinary for me because when you have elected officials making good decisions, great decisions to protect the citizens of our community who are going to provide the most important, essential ingredient into our life, which is water, you should feel proud," said Ribeiro.
3M and DuPont were the ones who first introduced these 'forever chemicals' over 70 years ago—and they’re still the main manufacturers today, even though these chemicals don't break down well in the environment, and could cause cancer.
"In the end, they're held liable, and they're held responsible for putting these contaminants in our in our wells in our aquifers and our stream of commerce that unfortunately will never leave, never leave our environment," said Ribeiro.
Tampa Bay Water was one of the first to join the lawsuit back in 2019, and Ribeiro said they received a 25-percent increase in the settlement because of that.
Hillsborough County Commissioner and Tampa Bay Water Chairman Harry Cohen said this settlement helps protect Tampa Bay residents from the potential cost of removing these toxic chemicals from drinking water in the future.
"This is a tremendous development," said Cohen. "It shows that we did something proactive for our rate payers. And now we will have the resources that we need to thoroughly test and to treat and remediate any water that doesn't meet the highest possible standard."
Tampa Bay Water is responsible for providing drinking water to about 2.6 million people in Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties.
Cohen said the water is currently at the level required by upcoming EPA regulations—around 4 parts per trillion of PFAS—which will take effect starting in 2031.
"These are chemicals that are in the water, because, for example, firefighting foam creates these types of chemicals, and after that foam is released," said Cohen. "If it rains, these chemicals get into the watershed, and these are things that do not degrade on their own. They're called forever chemicals, because they essentially stay in the water supply forever, or for at least thousands of years, they can be toxic to humans."
In response to this settlement, 3M sent the following statement to ABC Action News:
“In June 2023, 3M entered into a broad class resolution to support PFAS remediation for U.S.-based public water suppliers that detect PFAS at any level or may do so in the future. This agreement will benefit public water systems nationwide that provide drinking water to a vast majority of Americans without the need for further litigation by or on behalf of public water systems. Further, 3M announced at the end of 2022 that it would exit all PFAS manufacturing by the end of 2025."
Ribeiro said water systems and cities still have time to file to get compensation from this nearly $13 billion dollar settlement. The deadline is by the end of this year. He said if you miss this deadline, then you’ll be barred from collecting any money at all, and protecting your communities. You can find more information here.
Fans mourn wrestling icon Hulk Hogan at his Clearwater Beach businesses
Hulk Hogan’s Beach Shop remained closed Thursday following news of the professional wrestling icon’s death at age 71.
