Water contamination in the United States is a significant issue affecting our health and well-being. When drinking water becomes dangerous, it can lead to serious health problems. The contaminated water could contain chemicals and other harmful substances.
These substances may cause diseases like cancer or congenital disabilities in babies born to mothers who consumed the contaminated water during pregnancy. According to the CDC, around 7.2 million Americans get sick yearly from waterborne diseases.
Here are some of the worst water contamination lawsuits in the US.
Camp Lejeune Justice Act
The water contamination at Camp Lejeune has been a decades-long issue, but it was in 2012 that the federal government started to take action.
In 2012, the US Department of Justice filed a class action lawsuit against the owner of the contaminated wells, Fluor Corporation, and its contractors. The suit was filed on behalf of over 700 people who drank the contaminated water and were diagnosed with related illnesses.
If you are a veteran or military family member exposed to contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune, you may be eligible for compensation from the government.
The Camp Lejeune Justice Act allows you to seek monetary compensation for your injuries caused by exposure to toxic chemicals in the drinking water system at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, between 1957 and 1987.
In addition to providing compensation for veterans and their families, this law also requires the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) to provide medical care for any conditions related to chemical exposure after 1982.
The VA must also establish a registry that tracks symptoms associated with chemical contamination and includes treatment referrals based on those symptoms.
Michigan Dioxin Contamination Lawsuit
The Michigan Dioxin Contamination Lawsuit is a significant lawsuit initiated by people living near the Dow Chemical Company’s plant in Midland, Michigan.
The Dow Chemical Company released dioxin into the environment in the 1960s and 1970s, which led to widespread contamination of local homes and land. Dioxins are chemical compounds linked to cancer and other serious health problems.
The lawsuit was filed in 2010 on behalf of more than 300 people who the dioxin releases had harmed from Dow Chemical Company’s plant during this period. It alleges that residents have suffered various types of harm because of these releases, including cancer, congenital disabilities, miscarriages, learning disabilities, and respiratory issues.
Flint Water Crisis Lawsuit
The Flint water crisis was an artificial disaster. The city of Flint, Michigan, switched its water supply from Lake Huron to the Flint River in April 2014. The decision was made without engineering or environmental studies and without any corrosion control treatment.
In other words, the city did not treat the new water with an anti-corrosive agent that would have prevented lead from leaching into it.
The result? Water contaminated with lead began flowing into homes across Flint. Residents complained about discolored and foul-smelling tap water as early as 2014, but officials insisted they shouldn’t worry; the problem had been fixed.
Lead poisoning can cause behavioral problems and learning disabilities in children who consume it over long periods.
Adults exposed to lead may experience nausea, headaches, or other flu-like symptoms. Pregnant women are particularly vulnerable because lead can cause miscarriage or stillbirths. High levels of exposure can even be fatal for adults!
The Dupont Chemours Company Lawsuits
Another type of water contamination lawsuit is the Dupont Chemours Company lawsuit.
These lawsuits are related to a chemical released by the company called C8. C8 is a manmade chemical linked to cancer and other diseases, including liver damage and hormone problems in children.
The lawsuits were filed in various countries around the world against Dupont Chemours Company, which was created after DuPont spun off its performance chemicals business into an independent company called Chemours Co., based in North Carolina.
The company agreed to pay environmental liabilities related to its use of PFOA that had been discharged into drinking water supplies near its plant in West Virginia between 1950 and 2015.
More class action suits may be filed against this company due to recent findings regarding PFOS contamination at military bases across America because it was used as part of firefighting foam on these bases.
According to Bloomberglaw, over 6,400 PFAS-related lawsuits have been filed since 2005.
Conclusion
According to WHO, by 2025, half the world’s population will not have safe drinking water, and these contaminations are not helping the cause.
These lawsuits have brought to light the extent of water contamination in our country and the dangers that come with it. Hopefully, these lawsuits will lead to better policies that protect citizens from harmful substances so they don’t have to go through what these families did.