TOWN OF PESHTIGO (NBC 26) — The Town of Peshtigo announced Wednesday it's moving forward with litigation against the companies the town says are responsible for contaminating drinking water supplies with PFAS.
"The Town asserts several claims under Wisconsin law against Tyco Fire Products, Johnson Controls, ChemDesign, and Chemguard, each of which is alleged to have contributed to the environmental contamination that has adversely affected the Town and its residents for years," a news release from the town says.
The Town of Peshtigo said the accused companies released PFAS from properties located in Marinette, including the Fire Technology Center at which large volumes of PFAS-based firefighting foam products were tested over several decades. As a result of this testing, Peshtigo says extraordinarily high concentrations of PFAS have been detected not only at the property but also in groundwater and surface waters offsite, including in the Town of Peshtigo.
"In order to safeguard the health of Town residents, and as a direct result of the defendants’ unlawful releases of PFAS into Town resources and properties, the Town has initiated the process of creating a utility district that will offer residents access to a permanent clean drinking water supply," the news release says.
In the litigation, the town is demanding the companies help pay for the utility district, among other forms of compensation.
Town Chairperson Cindy Boyle stated, “Today’s filing represents an important next step in protecting Town residents and in holding the polluters accountable. I am confident that the judicial process will help restore our town and begin to return to us what Tyco, JCI, and the other defendants have taken: our water, our safety, and ultimately our peace of mind.”
