3M Settles with Minnesota City for Water Supply Contamination

摘要

Manufacturer 3M has reached a $12.5 million settlement with the city of Bemidji, Minn., to help pay for treating contamination in the community's water supply. The funds will go toward building and operating a new treatment facility to remove chemicals known as PFAS, which the company manufactured for use as firefighting foam. The city found elevated levels of PFAS in its wells in 2016 and linked the source of the contamination to firefighting foam used during training at the regional airport, which is located near the wells, Minnesota Public Radio News reported. Some PFAS have been linked to health problems. The first phase of the $16 million treatment project is already online, city officials said. Construction on the second phase, which will allow the city to treat more water, will take about two more years to complete.