Sacramento Suburban Water District v. 3M Co.

Authors

Loui E. Amos, University of Montana, Alexander Blewett III School of LawFollow

Case Summary Citation

Sacramento Suburban Water District v. 3M Co., No. 2:22-cv-01005-KJM-JDP, 2022 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 205600 (E.D. Cal. Nov. 10, 2022)

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), popularly known as “forever chemicals,” have seeped into drinking water supplies across the country. Almost all Americans have an accumulation of these substances in their blood, creating serious health risks. This exposure has created a vast unknown liability for the manufacture of these chemicals. But who should pay for the remediation of the water supply and the health effects of PFAS exposure? Mass toxic tort litigation has become ineffective, with jurisdictional hurdles and defendants’ creative techniques to sidestep judgments, such as corporate bankruptcy strategies. This ineffectiveness demonstrates the need for a long-term strategy comprising legislative change and regulation.