Peoria receives over $480,000 from 3M, first payment in ‘forever chemicals’ settlement

Peoria has received the first of eight payments from 3M that are meant to help remove "forever chemicals" from drinking water.

BY JEFF VINTON

Jul 31, 2025, 7:56 PM Updated: Aug 1, 2025, 12:14 pm

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PHOENIX — Chemical manufacturer 3M paid the city of Peoria more than $480,000 as part of the settlement of a national class action lawsuit over the presence of a group of chemicals known as PFAS in the city’s drinking water, the city announced Thursday.

3M is expected to send multiple payments over the next eight years to the West Valley city, according to a media release.

The second installment is expected by the end of 2025 and will be more than $800,000.

The payments are expected to amount to more than $2 million, the release said.

This is just one of four lawsuits that Peoria is working to settle over the presence of PFAS, which is an abbreviation for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as forever chemicals, in drinking water.

Payments from those settlements are expected to begin by the end of 2025 or early 2026.

Prescott is also receiving payments as part of a $3 million settlement with 3M. The city announced in May that it had received an installment of more than $540,000.

Why did Peoria reach a settlement with 3M over PFAS?

This settlement was reached to help cover the costs of removing the chemicals from Peoria’s drinking water.

The chemicals have been used over the years in goods such as nonstick cookware and on fabrics to protect them from stains. They have also been used in firefighting foam. They have been called forever chemicals because they do not degrade in nature.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that exposure to the chemicals could lead to pregnancy issues, cancer and liver issues.

To make sure the city’s drinking water is safe, Peoria is continually monitoring the 29 wells that it draws drinking water from. Peoria has taken two wells offline after they tested above the EPA’s limit for PFAS contamination.

“These settlement funds will directly support Peoria’s continued investment in protecting our community’s drinking water,” Peoria City Manager Henry Darwin said in the release. “This is a critical step in shifting the financial responsibility away from our residents and towards those responsible for the contamination.”