New Hampshire is getting more settlement money connected to PFAS contamination, increasing the funds available to help communities deal with tainted drinking water.
The $7.3 million installment from 3M comes as residents continue to worry about what is coming out of the tap — and to pay for the fallout of corporate chemical use, according to NHPR.
Here's what to know
New Hampshire has collected more than $43 million from PFAS drinking-water settlements, and more payments are expected through at least 2033.
The payment is part of 3M's nationwide settlement over PFAS contamination in public drinking water systems.
Used in manufacturing and other industrial applications, PFAS are synthetic chemicals often referred to as "forever chemicals."
That label reflects how long they can remain in the environment, and exposure has been linked to serious health problems, including certain cancers.
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More background
The 3M agreement is one of four nationwide PFAS settlements involving 3M, DuPont, Tyco, and BASF over contamination in public drinking water systems.
Those deals were approved by a federal judge in South Carolina.
The payment will be deposited into the state's Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund, which funds utilities working to address PFAS contamination.
Companies produced and used chemicals that fueled industrial production, and communities are still living with the consequences after those substances entered their water supplies.
Settlements like this one are one way to shift more of that burden back onto the manufacturers.
What's being done?
Through the Drinking Water and Groundwater Trust Fund, New Hampshire is directing settlement funds to public water systems affected by PFAS contamination.
The state says it is still seeking additional recovery compensation for PFAS contamination in New Hampshire's waters, soils, and other natural resources.
Nationally, settlements with 3M, DuPont, Tyco, and BASF show that chemical manufacturers are facing growing pressure to help pay for PFAS-related damage.
Those payouts can help support treatment and remediation efforts.
In the press release, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said the state would keep pushing.
"We will not stop fighting until these polluters pay their fair share to clean up the mess they created and protect the health of our citizens," Formella vowed.
Where can I learn more?
New Hampshire's growing PFAS settlement fund is part of a broader push to make major companies pay for environmental damage.
Similar cases involving 3M, DuPont, and other corporate players show how communities and governments are trying to recover cleanup costs and hold industry accountable.
• New Hampshire secured another $4.68 million payout as PFAS cleanup costs kept mounting statewide.
• In California, officials sued over toxic chemicals linked to 3M and DuPont.
• In Australia, Santos faced a world-first greenwashing trial over contested climate claims.
In that context, New Hampshire's payment is one more chapter in a long-running accountability fight.
That bigger picture helps explain why each new settlement installment matters for clean water and public health.
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