3M PFAS Settlement: Billions for Water Utilities, No Claim Form for You
Payments Going Out Now
Claim deadline was July 31, 2026 · as of Oct 19, 2026
The 3M PFAS settlement in the news is a $10.5 billion to $12.5 billion deal with public water systems, approved in March 2024 and paid in installments through 2036. Households, renters and private-well owners are not class members and cannot file a claim. New Jersey’s separate deal with 3M was approved in August 2026. The 3M PFAS lawsuit over personal injuries is still pending, with no settlement as of October 2026.
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Can I Still File?
The claim deadline, what the settlement pays and where to file — plus other settlements still taking claims.
No. The claim deadline was July 31, 2026.
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What the 3M PFAS Lawsuits Say
PFAS are the “forever chemicals” used in firefighting foam (AFFF) and many industrial products. Since 2018, federal AFFF cases have been gathered in one multidistrict litigation in South Carolina. According to 3M’s own summary of the claims, the lawsuits allege that improper disposal of PFAS made by 3M contaminated water, soil and biosolids, that 3M failed to warn about the hazards, and that products containing PFAS caused harm.
The plaintiffs are a mix: water utilities seeking treatment costs, states seeking natural-resource damages, and individuals alleging illness. 3M denies liability, and each settlement states that 3M admits no wrongdoing.
Case details
The water-system settlement was reached in In re: Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation, MDL No. 2:18-mn-2873, U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, before Judge Richard M. Gergel in Charleston. The class case is City of Camden, et al. v. 3M Company, No. 2:23-cv-03147, filed June 30, 2023.
New Jersey’s settlement was approved by Chief U.S. District Judge Renée Marie Bumb in the District of New Jersey (Camden). Minnesota’s case was a separate state lawsuit filed in 2010 and settled in 2018.
Status: Three Settlements, None That Pays Individuals
Public water systems (national class): announced June 22, 2023, approved in March 2024, effective May 2024. 3M pays $10.5 billion to $12.5 billion on a schedule from 2024 through 2036. The Phase Two action-fund claim deadline for utilities was July 31, 2026, according to a National League of Cities update. Some utilities opted out and are still suing.
New Jersey: 3M agreed on May 12, 2025 to pay the state up to $450 million. The court approved it in August 2026; money goes to state funds for natural resources and drinking water.
Personal injury: the JPML’s report dated October 1, 2026 lists 15,264 actions pending in MDL 2873. No injury settlement, no fund, no claim form. Details on our PFAS lawsuit update page.
Latest From the Court Docket
Recent entries in the federal case behind this page, taken from the court's own docket. We check it at least once a day; this list is as of Oct 19, 2026.
Case: In Re Aqueous Film-Forming Foams Products Liability Litigation MDL 2873, No. 2:18-mn-02873 (D.S.C.)
Oct 16, 2026
Response in Opposition to Motion
ECF No. 11888
Oct 16, 2026
Notice of Voluntary Dismissal
ECF No. 11887
Oct 16, 2026
Status Report
ECF No. 11886
Oct 16, 2026
Order on Motion to Substitute Party (6 filings)
Oct 16, 2026
Order on Motion to Amend/Correct
ECF No. 11884
A docket entry is a step in the case, not a decision on who wins. Sources: the courts' PACER feeds and CourtListener (Free Law Project). Not legal advice.
Who Is Covered by the 3M PFAS Settlement
Only public water systems. Under the settlement, a public water system is one with at least 15 service connections or that serves at least 25 people daily for at least 60 days a year; certain non-community systems qualify only if they serve more than 3,300 people. The class notice expressly excludes any privately owned well serving a single household.
If your city’s water utility is a class member, the money goes to the utility for testing and treatment — not to customers as checks or bill credits by default. The official site for utilities is pfaswatersettlement.com.
If you believe PFAS exposure made you sick, that is a different claim: it runs through the pending injury cases, not this settlement. Firefighters can start with our AFFF firefighting foam lawsuit page.
3M PFAS Settlement Amount — and What Individuals Get
The water-system money is split into two pools: $6.875 billion for Phase One systems that found PFAS before June 22, 2023, and $3.625 billion for Phase Two systems that found it later, per a University of New Mexico water center summary. 3M booked a $10.3 billion charge for the present value of payments expected to total $12.5 billion.
New Jersey’s deal pays the state $400 million to $450 million over 25 years. Minnesota’s 2018 settlement was $850 million, with about $720 million for drinking water and natural-resource projects in the Twin Cities east metro.
How cases like this one end
Our copy of the federal courts’ own case database covers 9,046 property damage product liability casesclosed in U.S. federal district courts between 2015 and 2026, 6.8% of them filed as class actions:
- 29.2% ended in a settlement recorded by the court. Another 13.3% were dismissed voluntarily, which often follows a private settlement — so the real settlement share sits between 29.2% and 42.5%.
- 2.2% were decided on a motion before any trial.
- 1 in 238 reached a trial (0.4%), after a median of 29.1 months.
- Median time from filing to the end of the case: 3.9 months.
- Only 58 of them (0.6%) record a money award at all; the median of those is $518,000.
These are base rates for this type of case (federal property damage product liability cases) — not a prediction about this lawsuit, and not legal advice. Source: Federal Judicial Center, Integrated Database (civil), analysed by Settlement Insight. Cases heard in state courts are not included.
3M PFAS Lawsuit Timeline
2010 to 2018 — Minnesota Sues and Settles
Minnesota’s attorney general sued 3M in 2010. The state settled on Feb. 20, 2018 for $850 million.
December 2018 — Federal Cases Consolidated
The JPML sends all federal AFFF cases to one MDL in the District of South Carolina, MDL 2873.
June 22, 2023 — Water-System Deal Announced
3M announces a class settlement with U.S. public water systems worth $10.5 billion to $12.5 billion.
March to May 2024 — Approved and Effective
The MDL court approves the settlement in March 2024; it takes effect in May 2024. Payments run through 2036.
August 2026 — New Jersey Deal Approved
Chief Judge Bumb approves New Jersey’s settlements with DuPont and 3M; 3M’s share is up to $450 million.
October 2026 — Injury Cases Still Pending
The JPML’s October 1, 2026 report lists 15,264 pending actions in MDL 2873. Settlement talks on injury claims are court-ordered, but no injury settlement exists.
Three Things to Watch For
A multibillion-dollar headline with no individual claim form is exactly the gap imposters fill:
“Claim your 3M PFAS settlement check”
The water-system settlement has no form for households. A site or text asking for your Social Security number or bank details to “release your share” is not connected to the settlement.
Contamination maps that “prove” you qualify
Living in a ZIP code where your utility found PFAS makes the utility a class member, not you. A map lookup that ends in a sign-up form is a lead-collection funnel, not a claims process.
State settlement letters promising personal payouts
The New Jersey and Minnesota settlements pay state funds for cleanup and drinking water. Neither mails checks to residents, so a letter saying otherwise is not from the state.
3M PFAS Settlement — Questions People Actually Ask
Short answers to the questions people ask most about this case.
Is there a 3M PFAS settlement I can file a claim in?
No. As of October 2026, the only national 3M PFAS settlement is for public water systems, and private household wells are expressly excluded. No settlement exists yet for personal injury claims.
How do you see if you qualify for a PFAS settlement?
For the 3M water-system deal, ask whether you are a water utility: it covers systems with at least 15 connections or serving at least 25 people daily. As a customer, you can ask your utility whether it filed a claim. Injury claims are pending in MDL 2873 with no settlement.
How did 3M contaminate water?
That is what the lawsuits allege, and 3M denies liability. Per 3M’s summary of the claims, plaintiffs say improper disposal of PFAS made by 3M contaminated water, soil and biosolids, and that firefighting foam containing PFAS reached water supplies.
What is the 3M PFAS settlement amount?
$10.5 billion to $12.5 billion for public water systems, paid from 2024 through 2036. The final figure depends on ongoing and future testing results, which determine how many systems are affected, PFAS concentrations and flow rates. New Jersey gets up to $450 million separately.
Is the 3M PFAS lawsuit over?
No. Opt-out utilities, several state attorneys general and thousands of injured plaintiffs are still suing. A first bellwether injury trial set for October 2025 was vacated in August 2025, and the court has ordered settlement discussions on injury claims.
I live in Minnesota near 3M — does that settlement pay me?
Not in cash. The 2018 Minnesota settlement funds drinking water and natural-resource projects in the east metro. Residents near affected areas can ask for private well testing through the state’s 3M settlement site.
What is the latest update on the 3M earplug lawsuit?
That is a different case. The Combat Arms earplug settlement covers service members’ hearing claims; 3M reports $5.3 billion in pre-tax contributions to it. See our 3M earplug lawsuit calculator.
What is worth doing right now?
Ask your water utility for its PFAS test results. If you have a private well, look for state testing programs. If you have a diagnosed illness and used or lived near AFFF, keep your medical and exposure records, and ignore anyone charging a fee to “register” you for a settlement.
About This Information
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology. Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated - $236 billion in real payouts analyzed · See what we found
This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Lawsuit status, eligibility, and compensation can change. Settlement Insight is not a law firm and does not represent any party. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
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