Suffolk County Water Authority To Receive First Award In PFAS Settlement With 3M

The Suffolk County Water Authority announced today that it expects to receive its first award as part of the national class action settlement with 3M Company, a manufacturer of PFAS — also known as “forever chemicals” — which have contaminated Long Island’s sole source aquifer. The $10.5 billion settlement involves thousands of water providers across the country. SCWA is in line to receive an award of $34 million shortly and expects to receive a total of $170 million over the duration of the agreement.

This marks a historic step in holding polluters accountable for decades of contamination. Still, the funds recovered represent only a fraction of the cost SCWA expects to incur as it continues installing and operating advanced treatment systems to remove PFAS from the public water supply.

“We’re gratified to be receiving this award, and to see a major polluter of our aquifer be held to account for their actions,” said SCWA Chairman Charlie Lefkowitz. “We’ve already taken aggressive steps by treating all water we deliver to the new EPA standard of 4 parts per trillion for PFAS — six years ahead of the federal compliance deadline. But our ultimate goal is to reach non-detectable levels, and that will require continued investment in both infrastructure and long-term operations.”

SCWA expects to receive roughly two-thirds of its total settlement amount in 2025, with the remaining one-third distributed through smaller awards over the following nine years. SCWA has also joined a second settlement agreement with PFAS manufacturer DuPont de Nemours, Inc.; however, awards from that settlement have not yet been finalized or distributed.

SCWA will continue investing in infrastructure while maintaining affordable rates and providing sustainable, long-term drinking water treatment. Since 2020, 57 Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) treatment systems have been installed that remove PFAS from drinking water. SCWA plans to install seven new systems in the next year, including facilities in Port Jefferson Station, Smithtown, Brentwood, Commack, Saint James, Stony Brook and on Shelter Island.

"This settlement ensures that our ratepayers are not left to shoulder the full burden of removing these harmful chemicals from our water supply,” said Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Szabo. “While this award represents meaningful progress, it covers only a portion of the enormous cost we expect to incur as we continue to install and operate advanced PFAS treatment systems. We knew this settlement offered the best chance to recover some compensation from 3M. Opting out would have meant years of costly and uncertain litigation with no guarantee of success."

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are synthetic chemicals used for decades in a wide range of industrial and consumer products, including firefighting foam, non-stick cookware and water-resistant fabrics. These chemicals are highly persistent in the environment and the human body, earning the nickname “forever chemicals.” SCWA and thousands of other water providers filed lawsuits against 3M for knowingly allowing PFAS to contaminate drinking water sources.

About SCWA:

The Suffolk County Water Authority is an independent public-benefit corporation operating under the authority of the Public Authorities Law of the State of New York. Serving high-quality drinking water to approximately 1.2 million Suffolk County residents, SCWA operates without taxing power on a not-for-profit basis.