COLUMBIA, S.C. — The City of Columbia has filed a lawsuit against dozens of companies over the amount of forever chemicals found in the city’s water supply.
According to the lawsuit, more than 40 textile companies, chemical manufacturers and other industries have polluted Columbia's water supply with man-made compounds called PFAs, or forever chemicals. Chemicals that can cause cancer and other health issues.
The lawsuit claims the defendants manufactured, sold, used and/or released PFAs upstream of Columbia's drinking water intake points or are responsible for PFAs in the city’s wastewater treatment plant.
The lawsuit also states the Broad River and the Saluda River contain PFAs in excess of what the environmental protection agency considers safe. Columbia relies on the water from the Broad River and Lake Murray to provide up to 150 million gallons of drinking water per day to over 370,000 customers.
Some of the companies involved include Milliken & Company, 3M and Carolina Plating Company.
City leaders say Columbia has been and continues to be damaged due to the negligent, willful, and wanton conduct of the defendants, as well the continuous nuisance and trespass caused by defendants’ past and present manufacture, use, purchase, sale, supply, discharge, and release of PFAs into its water and wastewater.
If successful in court, the city could possibly collect hundreds of millions of dollars that would allow them to buy and install filtration equipment to remove the chemicals.
News 19 did reach out to the city of Columbia for comment on the lawsuit, but so far have not gotten a response.