June 22 (Reuters) - 3M Co has reached a $10.3 billion settlement with a host of U.S. public water systems to resolve water pollution claims tied to "forever chemicals," the chemical company announced on Thursday.
The company said the settlement would provide the funds over a 13-year period to cities, towns and other public water systems to test and treat contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.
3M, which is facing thousands of lawsuits over PFAS contamination, did not admit liability, and said the money will help support remediation at public water systems that detect PFAS "at any level."
"The result is that millions of Americans will have healthier lives without PFAS in their drinking water."
3M had been scheduled to face a test trial in South Carolina federal court earlier this month in a lawsuit brought by Stuart, Florida.
Persons:
Scott Summy, Stuart, Brendan Pierson, Clark Mindock, Alexia Garamfalvi, Chris Reese, Daniel Wallis
Organizations:
3M, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, DuPont de Nemours Inc, Corteva Inc, Thomson
Locations:
U.S, South Carolina, Stuart , Florida, New York