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Village starts using PFAS settlement funds to support PFAS treatment and media changeouts at wells
Summary
Staff reported initial settlement deposits from the 3M litigation and outlined plans to create a PFAS fund that will pay for granular activated carbon media changes, hazardous‑waste disposal and ongoing treatment at multiple wells.
Village water‑utility staff reported they have begun receiving settlement payments related to PFAS litigation and are proposing to create a designated PFAS fund to pay for treatment and ongoing maintenance.
Michael (utility staff) told the committee the village has started to receive money from PFAS litigation settlements and that $375,000 arrived as an initial deposit. "We are starting to receive some of our PFAS settlement funding through the 3 M lawsuit," Michael said. Staff described plans to pool settlement receipts (3M, DuPont, BASF, Tyco) into a restricted fund to finance media changeouts and other treatment costs rather than shift the burden to ratepayers.
Staff said the village expects roughly $1.8 million from 3M and a combined total of about $2.25 million from multiple defendants; they intend to invest and steward the funds to support annual treatment and disposal costs. AECOM’s estimate for annual hazardous disposal and related PFAS treatment maintenance was discussed at about $100,000 per year, an amount staff said they would cover from settlement receipts while also pursuing loan and grant funding for major treatment plant projects.
Separately, staff updated the committee on treatment plant and well projects: work is underway on Well 3 treatment and granular activated carbon systems, with demolition and piping work in progress for well‑site improvements. Staff estimated GAC media changeouts could be required about once a year depending on pumping rates and anticipated that permanent PFAS treatment at Well 4 would be in place in the near term; the full well rehabilitation and treatment program is expected to be staged over several years. Staff noted that disposal options for spent media are currently limited and that only a small number of landfills accept PFAS‑contaminated spent media.
Michael and Josh (utility staff) said they will continue to track settlement receipts, pursue DNR loan opportunities for treatment projects, and create a fund that preserves settlement proceeds for long‑term PFAS treatment and media changeout costs. The committee received the briefing as informational; no board action was taken at the meeting.
