DETROIT — An engineering firm announced on Friday that it has reached an agreement to pay $53 million to resolve the outstanding lawsuits related to the lead-contaminated water crisis that affected Flint, Michigan, nearly ten years ago.
The settlement between Veolia North America and residents of Flint is in addition to the previous $26.3 million already paid by the company in earlier settlements, alongside $626 million compensated by the state of Michigan and other involved parties.
Veolia has consistently denied any liability regarding the contamination, emphasizing that it was only engaged by Flint as a consultant several months after the city began sourcing its water from the Flint River in 2014. At that time, the water was inadequately treated to prevent corrosion, leading to lead leaching from aging pipes.
Critics have argued that Veolia could have taken more proactive measures before the former Governor Rick Snyder and Flint officials reverted the water supply back to a regional provider in late 2015, when elevated lead levels were detected in children.
“This agreement is not an admission of guilt; rather, it represents the most effective way to avoid protracted, costly, and ultimately unproductive litigation, allowing all parties to find closure,” stated Veolia.
The company asserted that the root cause of the Flint water crisis lay with governmental authorities. They mentioned that they were not involved in the decision-making regarding the water switch or the operation of the Flint water treatment facility, nor were they informed that the water was failing to meet safety standards.
The $53 million settlement will be allocated to about 26,000 individuals who are represented by various law firms, according to the Michigan attorney general’s office. Following the settlement, the state plans to dismiss its separate legal action against Veolia.
Attorney General Dana Nessel remarked, “After years of protracted legal disputes, this settlement signifies the conclusion of a chapter for the residents of Flint.”
Engineering firm resolves Flint water litigation for $53 million while asserting no responsibility for lead contamination.
