Bridgeport, OH — BRIDGEPORT, Ohio — Two years after entering a nationwide class action lawsuit over contaminated water, the village of Bridgeport received $131,803, a portion of the overall settlement. The funds are part of a larger payout from the company 3M, one of four defendants in the case.
“Now to receive what I consider significant money, hundreds of thousands of dollars, that will pave the way for us to do that,” said Village of Bridgeport Law Director Michael Shaheen. “The other thing is, the way that I have this structured, the money doesn’t have to go to one specific item, so as example if we want to use it to improve water or to change the water system we can. If it’s for roads, we can.”
This money coming in will give the village financial flexibility. It’s coming from the company ‘3M’, who is one of four defendants in the case and is being ordered to pay out money for the contaminated water. While the first portion of funding from 3M, there is more money coming from the other three defendants.
“The first settlement from 3M, which the gross approaches at least a million dollars, we’ll get about two-thirds of it up front with that check, and then another check in about 60 to 90 days, and then the payout of that gets spread over another six to eight years in equal installments,” Shaheen said. “But the other three defendants who are paying significantly less but still six figures, they’re going to pay in lump sums.”
The contaminated water contained PFAS Chemicals, Shaheen explained its chemical you can’t get rid of. Because of this, the village had to shut down their water plant and buy from Martins Ferry.
Shaheen explained it’s a problem, with many others across the country dealing with it as well, and this funding still may not help their water plant to get reopened. “It’s a very serious problem obviously but try to tackle and recreate all of that water system, even with all of that, no pun intended, would be a drop in the bucket,” Shaheen said.
With half a million dollars expected in the coming months and additional funds over time, it can still help the village grow. “It takes us from, what I would say a dark place and doldrums to being self-sufficient,” Shaheen said. “I believe this calendar year we’ll be done with the oversight from the state of Ohio, and we can really operate like a small business like we are supposed to.”