Peshtigo, Wisconsin Announces $17.5M Settlement for Contaminated Drinking Water Wells
NEW YORK, Jan. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, lawyers representing individuals in the Town of Peshtigo, Wisconsin, announced that they have reached an agreement in principle with Tyco Fire Products L.P., Chemguard, Inc., and ChemDesign, Inc. (“Defendants”) to settle a putative class action addressing certain claims of damage arising from contamination of dozens of privately-owned drinking water wells in the Town of Peshtigo with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”) attributable to the use and release of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (“AFFF”).
Since steps are already being taken to provide clean water to the affected residents, this new settlement focuses on providing mechanisms to compensate for property damage, PFAS exposure, and individual disease claims. The total settlement amount is $17.5 million, with $15 million being allocated to class-wide claims and $2.5 million being allocated to individual disease claims. The $15 million allocated to class claims will provide compensation to class members for property damage, and to compensate class members for harms allegedly arising from their exposure to PFAS in the private drinking water wells. The remaining $2.5 million will provide compensation on an individual basis to those in the class area that have been diagnosed with any of the following five diseases: 1) testicular cancer; 2) kidney cancer; 3) ulcerative colitis; 4) thyroid disease; and 5) preeclampsia.
