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Monrovia to receive $5.8 million from class-action settlements to offset PFOS treatment costs, city manager says
Summary
City Manager Dylan Feek told the council the city will receive $5.8 million from recent settlements to help pay for future upgrades to remove PFOS from the drinking-water system. Staff said they are applying for state funding and will include treatment planning in upcoming budget discussions.
The city of Monrovia will receive $5,800,000 from recent class-action settlements to help offset future costs for upgrading water treatment to address PFOS contamination, City Manager Dylan Feek told the City Council on May 6.
PFOS — a class of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances often linked to industrial uses — has been identified at low levels in waterways and drinking-water sources across the country. The council was told staff are planning system upgrades to treat and remove PFOS from Monrovia’s water supply, and that the city is seeking state revolving fund loans and grant funding to help pay for construction.
"I'm happy to report last week ... the city of Monrovia will be receiving $5,800,000 to help offset costs associated with PFOS treatment," Feek said during the council’s directives update. Feek said the funds should be disbursed to the city attorney’s office and then delivered to the city before the end of the calendar year, though some settlement details remain under review.
Feek said staff plan to include PFOS treatment options in current or next budget cycles and that final treatment design and implementation will be discussed as more funding details are confirmed. He described negotiations and participation in class-action litigation as a helpful vehicle for recovering funds for remediation projects.
Why it matters: PFOS are linked in scientific studies to health risks at higher exposures; even low-level findings have prompted regulatory action nationwide. Council members said they expect the city to pursue grants and low-interest loans while prioritizing treatment planning in upcoming budget work.
No capital project was approved at the May 6 meeting. Staff said they will return with planning and budget recommendations once treatment design and funding are more certain.
