The nationwide litigation related to PFAS contamination and AFFF firefighting foam is resulting in billions of dollars now being distributed to public drinking water systems. The court-appointed Special Master and Claims Administrator oversee the payments of the 3M, DuPont, Tyco, and BASF settlements. These settlements total more than $14 billion. By taking no action, qualifying PWS have settled and released defendants for all liability. This is their last chance to recover money to compensate them for increased costs due to PFAS.
Overview of PFAS Settlement Claims
More than 6,600 public water systems (PWS) across the United States have registered claims in the AFFF multidistrict litigation (MDL 2873). These claims concern recovery of increased costs related to PFAS chemicals, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” which have been linked to water pollution nationwide.
The claims process is now largely complete for many settlements. For example, nearly 3,900 systems submitted claims in the Tyco and BASF settlements, representing approximately 19,600 water sources. The deadlines to apply for money in these settlements have expired. However, for many public water systems there is still time to apply for the much larger 3M and Dupont settlements. However, deadlines for doing so are quickly approaching
Settlement Values and Payment Structure
Settlement compensation is based on a scoring system known as Adjusted Base Scores (ABS), which determines each claimant’s share of the settlement fund. The Official PWS Settlement website provides an illustration of the potential amounts that water systems could recover. Below is an excerpt from the 3M Settlement Allocation Range Table with two primary factors (flow rates and test results) influencing amounts:
| PFAS PPT | 1,000 gpm | 5,000 gpm | 10,000 gpm | 25,000 gpm | 100,000 gpm |
| 2 | $189,694 | $603,369 | $993,106 | $1,918,881 | $5,196,296 |
| 4 | $763,253 | $2,427,216 | $3,994,261 | $7,714,149 | $20,855,641 |
| 10 | $776,166 | $2,468,269 | $4,061,800 | $7,844,507 | $21,207,290 |
| 100 | $970,176 | $3,085,022 | $5,076,399 | $9,802,456 | $26,485,901 |
The DuPont Settlement Allocation Range Table provides amounts that are approximately 10% of the values stated in the 3M table. The complete allocation range table may be found at our cleangroundwater website.
Payment Timeline for PFAS Settlements
Payments are actively being distributed and will continue over several years:
- Tyco payments began in March 2026
- BASF payments are expected in April 2026
- 3M payments will continue in installments through 2033
3M settlement payments are spread across ten installments, with increasing cumulative recovery over time. To date, over $3.5 billion has already been distributed to Phase One claimants under the 3M and DuPont settlements.
Deadlines for 3M and DuPont Public Water System Settlement
Public water systems that qualify under Phase Two of the settlements must meet the following pressing and critical deadlines:
- Baseline PFAS Sampling Deadline: July 1, 2026
- Action Fund Claims: July 31, 2026
- Special Needs Fund: August 1, 2026
Next Steps for Other Municipal PFAS Claims
While these settlements represent significant progress, they do not resolve all PFAS claims. Airports, fire training facilities, and wastewater systems still have unresolved damage claims.
Strategic claim preparation and timely legal action remain critical. How claims are documented and presented can significantly impact recovery under these complex PFAS settlement programs. If your system has been impacted by PFAS contamination, now is the time to evaluate your legal options and protect your right to compensation.
Talk With Our Team
We represent municipalities and rural water providers nationwide in PFAS cost recovery and settlement claims. If you manage a public water system and want help evaluating eligibility, organizing testing, and preparing a claim, contact us:
Email: mail@stagliuzza.com
Website: cleangroundwater.com
