The Santa Clarita Valley Water Agency (SCV Water) has filed a lawsuit against 3M Company, Chemours, DuPont and several other companies, for their roles in introducing Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) into the water supply in Santa Clarita.

The lawsuit alleges the agency’s water had been contaminated by toxic chemicals that were discharged into the environment by-products manufactured by the defendants, according to SCV Water.

PFAS are a group of man-made chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s and are found in many consumer products like cookware, food packaging and stain repellants, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

These chemicals are very persistent in the environment and in the human body – meaning they don’t break down and they can accumulate over time. There is evidence that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse human health effects, according to the EPA.

SCV Water joins a long list of other public water providers also impacted by the makers of PFAS chemicals.

These water providers have had their cases consolidated in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina as part of a Multi-District Litigation (MDL). As part of that process, SCV Water was able to file suit directly into the MDL.

See Related: SCV Water Holds Virtual Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony For PFAS Treatment Facility

For decades, SCV Water officials allege that 3M, Chemours, DuPont and other defendants have manufactured PFAS chemicals to make a variety of products, such as non-stick cookware, food wrappers and some firefighting foams.

“The companies have known for decades that PFAS are toxic, but continued to knowingly manufacture, market, and sell these products without providing a warning of the hazards to human health and the environment,” the water agency alleges.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for the costs and damages related to PFAS contamination, including the investigation, monitoring, treatment, testing, remediation, removal, and disposal of PFAS; and the costs associated with obtaining additional water supplies.

“SCV Water is seeking recovery of the ongoing damages and losses these companies have caused to our water supply”, said Matt Stone, general manager. “We have taken immediate steps including testing all wells on a quarterly basis and removing a number of impacted wells from service. Our first PFAS treatment facility opened this month, with several more under planning or design. Protecting our community’s water supply will come at a significant cost, and now it’s time to hold the appropriate parties responsible.”

SCV Water officials say that they have been “proactive” in their efforts to combat PFAS contamination, pointing towards the recent opening of a treatment facility at Hart Fields as an example.

The history of PFAS in the Santa Clarita Valley, as well as the work being done to manage it, can be found here.

The hiring of legal counsel and the filing of this lawsuit is the next step in the recovery of costs for remediation of this problem, according to the agency.

SCV Water is represented by the nationally recognized attorneys from Baron & Budd, P.C. and Cossich Sumich Parsiola & Taylor, LLC.

“These are important cases because they are focused on the manufacturers who knew their products were toxic and did not break down in the environment. They sold their products anyway,” said Scott Summy, a shareholder from the law firm of Baron & Budd. “As a result, many water providers have to now deal with the resulting problems. These cases are intended to shift some of the responsibility for paying for the costs of dealing with these contaminants away from the ratepayers and onto the responsible parties.”

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