PFAS Water Contamination

PFAS—per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances—are known as “forever chemicals” because they don’t break down or go away. Found in contaminated drinking water across the country, these industrial compounds have been linked to cancer, liver damage, and birth defects. What’s worse? Major chemical manufacturers knew the risks and hid them.

Big Chemical Bets Against You Going to Trial. We Take That Bet.

At Turnbull Moak & Pendergrass, we don’t back down from billion-dollar polluters. We hold corporations accountable in court when they poison the environment and endanger public health. Our nationally recognized trial team is investigating PFAS claims nationwide, partnering with top toxicology and environmental science experts to fight for the communities they put at risk.

What are PFAS?

PFAS are a large family of synthetic chemicals engineered to resist:

Heat
Water
Grease
Chemical Reactions

These properties have made PFAS commercially appealing, as they are used in products like:

Non-stick cookware
Stain-resistant fabrics
Firefighting foams
Food packaging
Various industrial processes

Their strong carbon-fluorine bonds help them build up in the bodies of humans and animals over time, a process called bioaccumulation.

Why Are PFAS So Dangerous?

Some key PFAS compounds, like PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonic acid), have been thoroughly studied and are known to be toxic.

Years of peer-reviewed research and epidemiological studies have linked PFAS exposure to a growing list of health issues. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) report associations between PFAS and the following:

Kidney, testicular, and liver cancers
Liver damage
High cholesterol
Ulcerative colitis
Hormonal disruption and thyroid disease
Immune system suppression, including reduced vaccine response in children
High cholesterol and cardiovascular risks
Pregnancy complications and developmental delays in infants and children

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PFAS have been detected in the blood of 97–99% of Americans, including newborns, which is evidence of how pervasive these chemicals are in our daily environment.

Humans are exposed to PFAS through:

Drinking contaminated water (further discussed below)
Eating fish or food raised in contaminated areas
Using consumer products containing PFAS (e.g., waterproof gear, fast-food wrappers)
Breathing indoor air and dust where PFAS-treated products are present

Even low-dose, long-term exposure is a cause for concern. According to a recent study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, some adverse effects are observed at PFAS concentrations below current federal health advisory limits.

An older person holding a glass of water

PFAS and Widespread Water Contamination

PFAS chemicals have leached into groundwater, rivers, and municipal water systems nationwide. Here’s what you need to know:

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), approximately 45% of U.S. tap water is contaminated with at least one PFAS chemical
In March 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever national drinking water standards for six PFAS compounds
These limits are drastically lower than previous health advisory levels, signaling just how dangerous these chemicals truly are

Who’s Responsible for PFAS Contamination?

For decades, chemical manufacturers, including 3M, DuPont, and Chemours, knowingly produced and distributed PFAS compounds despite mounting evidence of their toxicity.

These were not honest mistakes. Internal company documents, many made public through investigative journalism, have revealed that manufacturers were aware of the persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic nature of PFAS as far back as the 1960s and 1970s.

By the 1980s, internal studies showed evidence of congenital disabilities, organ damage, and cancer in lab animals exposed to PFOA and PFOS. Executives, engineers, and corporate scientists raised red flags—and those flags were buried.

Rather than pull these chemicals from the market or alert the public, these companies:

Continued mass production and global distribution
Dumped PFAS waste into rivers, landfills, and the air with little or no oversight
Concealed adverse research findings from regulators and communities
Funded misinformation campaigns to downplay health risks and delay regulation

Are There Current PFAS Lawsuits?

Yes. Thousands of PFAS-related lawsuits are underway across the United States, and the legal momentum is only growing. Victims are stepping forward to hold chemical manufacturers, industrial polluters, and negligent corporations accountable for decades of deception and environmental damage.

Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) Against 3M, DuPont, and Chemours

The most significant PFAS litigation is consolidated in a federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina.

This MDL involves over 15,000 cases brought by states, water utilities, individuals, and property owners against chemical manufacturers, alleging they knowingly contaminated drinking water with PFAS-laced firefighting foam (AFFF).

In June 2023, 3M agreed to a proposed $10.3 billion settlement to resolve water contamination claims, but the company denied wrongdoing. This came just days after DuPont and its spinoffs agreed to pay $1.19 billion to settle similar allegations brought by public water systems.

Sources:

PFAS Analytical Methods Development and Sampling Research | US EPA

Top US chemical firms to pay $1.2bn to settle water contamination lawsuits | PFAS | The Guardian

Individual and Class Action Lawsuits

Beyond the MDL, there are individual lawsuits and class actions filed by:

Firefighters and military personnel with cancer linked to AFFF exposure
Residents of contaminated communities suffering from cancer, congenital disabilities, or endocrine disorders
Farmers and landowners whose soil, water, and livestock are contaminated
Private well owners whose property values have plummeted

Some lawsuits push for medical monitoring, environmental cleanup, and compensation for long-term health impacts that may not appear for years.

Source:

ATSDR PFAS Health Studies

More Litigation Is Coming

In March 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized the first-ever national drinking water standards for six PFAS compounds. This regulatory shift opens the door to new claims, especially in communities where PFAS levels exceed the new limits.

Source:

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) | US EPA

If You’ve Been Exposed, You May Have a Case

Our team at Turnbull Moak & Pendergrass is tracking PFAS litigation nationwide. If you or your community has been exposed to PFAS-contaminated water, you may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, property damage, lost income, and emotional distress.

Our team builds winning cases by:

Partnering with top toxicologists, hydrologists, and epidemiologists
Conducting in-depth public records investigations
Mapping groundwater and contamination spread
Exposing corporate negligence through internal documents and whistleblower testimony
Seeking maximum compensation

If your community has been impacted by PFAS water contamination, you may be entitled to significant compensation. Don’t wait—statutes of limitation vary by state, and crucial evidence can disappear over time. Contact us today to schedule a case evaluation and learn more about your legal options.