No, Midlands residents cannot join the accepted PFAS water settlements with a personal claim. Those deals settle drinking-water claims by U.S.
public water systems, not claims by individual households. A federal court has already given final approval to the two large drinking-water deals. Any Midlands benefit would therefore flow through a local water system, not through a resident check.
Official resources:
- Read the official guidance from Epa — Use this primary source to verify the official guidance.
- Read the official notice from Foxrothschild — Use this primary source to verify the official announcement.
Table of Contents
- Which water settlements already won approval?
- Why can't residents file a personal claim?
- How do deadlines affect Midlands utilities?
- What other Midlands lawsuits matter?
Which water settlements already won approval?
Judge Richard Gergel gave final approval on March 29, 2024 to 3M's $10.5–$12.5 billion settlement paid over about 13 years. The same court approved $1.185 billion from DuPont, Chemours and Corteva for the same public-water-system claims. Fox Rothschild describes both approvals in its AFFF litigation update.
The deals cover eligible public water systems, not individual residents. Systems that did not affirmatively opt out are bound and cannot later sue 3M or DuPont separately. Only about 7.5% opted out of the 3M deal and 6.6% from DuPont, while state- or federally owned systems are excluded.
Why can't residents file a personal claim?
A Midlands resident cannot file a personal settlement claim under these deals. The practical step is to ask your water utility whether it filed timely claims through the court-appointed settlement administrator. According to the Settlement Administrator, program details are posted on the official settlement site.
Do not pay anyone who promises to file your personal claim in these settlements. Your utility is the only eligible claimant for its service area. Any recovery would go to the system for testing, treatment, or related costs.
How do deadlines affect Midlands utilities?
Phase One systems with PFAS detected by June 30, 2023 faced 2024 claim deadlines. Phase Two testing claims were due Jan.
1, 2026, with system claims due June 30, 2026 for DuPont and July 31, 2026 for 3M. Ask your provider these questions: If a system missed its deadline or is state- or federally owned, it cannot recover through these class deals.
- Which public water system serves my address
- Whether it filed a Phase One or Phase Two claim on time
- Whether it has confirmation from the court-appointed administrator
- How any funds would support testing or filtration
What other Midlands lawsuits matter?
The City of Columbia, S.C., doing business as Columbia Water, filed suit June 3–4, 2024 against more than 40 textile and chemical firms. The suit seeks damages for PFAS contamination and filtration costs, The Legal Journal reports in its Columbia case report. Congaree Riverkeeper, represented by the Southern Environmental Law Center, sued Shaw Industries on July 2, 2024.
The case concerns alleged PFAS discharges from its 470-acre Columbia plant into the Lower Saluda River serving West Columbia and Cayce, as described in its Riverkeeper announcement. Those cases are separate from the 3M and DuPont settlements and do not open a resident filing window. Save any notice from your utility about testing, treatment, or rates with your household records.