3M, Chemours, Others Facing PFAS Lawsuit Over Alleged Contamination of Nantucket’s Water Supply

New to ClassAction.org? Read our Newswire Disclaimer

Seven residents of Nantucket, Massachusetts, claim in a proposed class action lawsuit that their water supply has been contaminated by dangerous, carcinogenic chemicals produced and sold by the 3M Company, the Chemours Company and a slew of other manufacturers.

Get the latest open class action lawsuits sent to your inbox. Sign up for ClassAction.org’s free weekly newsletter.

According to the 74-page lawsuit, Nantucket’s public drinking water has been contaminated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), toxic chemicals linked to serious health concerns such as liver damage, immune system and endocrine disorders, thyroid disease, decreased fertility and multiple types of cancer.

Per the suit, the contamination began in the 1960s at the Nantucket Memorial Airport, where aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF)—a fire suppressant that contains PFAS—was routinely discharged into the environment during fire-fighting training and response exercises.

As a result of the widespread contamination, Nantucket residents have been unknowingly exposed to hazardous levels of PFAS for years and now face an ongoing water quality and health crisis on the island, the case contends.

In 2020, several private wells located near the airport were reportedly found to be contaminated with PFAS, the complaint says.

In addition, an AFFF spill at a local fire station in December 2022 allegedly contaminated the private water wells in an area of the island known as Toms Way, the 3M lawsuit states.

The suit asserts that the Nantucket landfill and the island’s wastewater have also been contaminated with the dangerous chemicals.

To make matters worse, 3M, Chemours and their co-defendants have for decades been aware of the hazards PFAS pose to human health and the environment and have repeatedly failed to warn residents and members of the public, the case charges.

Instead, the companies have “continued to misrepresent the safety of PFAS and engaged in campaigns aimed to direct the public’s attention away from the issue of PFAS in their products,” the complaint alleges.

The contamination has caused concerns about property values on the island and raised questions about health implications for residents, the filing claims.

“The contamination of Nantucket’s water supply adds a layer of uncertainty for families, such as [the plaintiffs] and their loved ones, who have long valued Nantucket as a healthy and safe environment,” the case shares. “Ensuring safe drinking water is now a priority to maintain the well-being of those who call the island home.”

The lawsuit looks to represent any Nantucket residents who have ingested water contaminated with detectable levels of PFAS on the island or whose drinking water wells have been contaminated with the chemicals.

Did you know that some class action settlements require no proof to submit a claim? Check out the latest open class action settlements.