BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Water Board is suing 17 companies it accuses of contributing to PFAS contamination in Lake Erie, alleging chemicals used in firefighting foam have polluted the water supply serving 276,000 people.
The lawsuit, filed in Erie County Supreme Court on Oct. 14, claims the companies manufactured or supplied firefighting foam, ingredients used in the foam or chemicals used to produce those ingredients.
CLICK HERE to read the lawsuit.
PFAS, commonly known as "forever chemicals," are a group of man-made substances that can persist in the environment and have been linked to health concerns.
The lawsuit focuses on the Buffalo Water Board's water intake in Lake Erie's Emerald Channel, where tens of millions of gallons of water flow each day to the Colonel Ward Pumping Station for treatment before being distributed to customers.
According to the complaint, PFAS contamination has made the process of providing safe drinking water more complex and expensive.
The board alleges the companies' products were "unreasonably dangerous" and that PFAS contamination poses significant threats to public health and the environment. The complaint also alleges the chemicals can make drinking water unfit for consumption even at extremely low concentrations.
Based on the lawsuit, it's unclear if PFAS have actually made it into Buffalo customers' drinking water at unsafe levels.
The Water Board is seeking compensation for the alleged harm to its property, along with the costs of investigating, testing, treating and monitoring its water supply. It is also seeking damages related to remediation and other associated expenses.
The complaint does not specify a dollar amount for the damages sought.
The lawsuit names six manufacturers and suppliers of firefighting foam, four companies that make a key ingredient used in the foam and nine suppliers of chemicals used to manufacture that ingredient. Some of the companies are in two different categories.
The board also alleges the companies knew or should have known about the dangers associated with their products. Its claims include negligence, defective product design, failure to warn, trespass and nuisance.
7 News reached out to the Buffalo Water Board and an industry group that represents firefighting foam manufacturers for comment. Any responses will be added to this story as they become available.
