Water Utilities’ Settlement With DuPont, Chemours Passes Hurdle

Drinking water utilities seeking money to help pay for PFAS-removal technologies moved a step closer to getting some funds after a federal court’s preliminary approval of a $1.18 billion settlement.

US District Court for the District of South Carolina Judge Richard M. Gergel preliminarily approved on Tuesday the settlement DuPont de Nemours Inc., the Chemours Co., and DuPont spinoff Corteva Inc. offered in June to resolve hundreds of pollution claims by cities, towns, and local water agencies regarding PFAS-contaminated drinking water.

Gergel is overseeing a multidistrict litigation involving damage claims from the decades-long use of aqueous film forming ...