The Milford City Council took no action Jan. 2 on an invitation to participate in a $12.5 billion class action lawsuit regarding possible water system contamination.
The Nebraska Rural Water Association and National Rural Water Association have encouraged municipalities to sign up with Napoli Shkolnik, the law firm representing plaintiffs in a multi-state class action lawsuit which alleges the 3M Company contaminated public drinking water systems with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS.
Milford Maintenance Superintendent Gary TeSelle, who is certified for the city’s water operation, said Milford had its water tested for PFAS in June.
“We are negative at this time,” he said.
Attorneys General from 27 states have become involved in action against PFAS contaminants, but Nebraska’s AG is not one of them.
Nebraska Rural Water said municipalities may still sign up with the law firm, however, so they will be in the queue if contaminants are found in their systems between now and 2030. Otherwise, cities won’t be eligible for payment for future damages.
TeSelle said it’s unlikely Milford is affected by the contamination.
“We don’t have the factories and stuff that bring that into water systems,” TeSelle said.
PFAS are found in industrial components, consumer products and some foods.
At certain contamination levels, they have been found to be a contributing factor to health problems including prostate, kidney and testicular cancers, increased cholesterol, reduced immune efficiency, adverse developmental effects and decreased fertility.
“Most people in the United States have been exposed to some PFAS,” according the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. “People can be exposed to PFAS by touching, drinking, eating, or breathing in materials containing PFAS.”
The chemicals can stay in the body for long periods of time and do not break down well in the environment.
The EPA maintains that the skin does not absorb many PFAS chemicals through water, so bathing or using the water to wash clothes wouldn’t be harmful, but PFAS ingested through drinking water can have adverse effects.
Napoli Shkolnik also is pursuing a $1.185 billion settlement with Dupont, Chemours and Corteva for PFAS contamination.
The settlements are to help public water systems and individuals recoup the cost of treatment necessary to remove PFAS contaminants from the water supply.
Napoli Shkolnik states that more than 1,500 drinking water systems across the U.S. may be contaminated with PFAS, based on a 2018 Environmental Working Group report.
Milford Mayor Patrick Kelley said he would like more information about the issue before opting in to the settlement.
