Americans to Receive Payout for Water Contamination

Philadelphia residents affected by a chemical spill in the Delaware River last year may be eligible for a $25 payout—and more if they can prove they've suffered economic damages because of the incident.

The payout, the result of a $2.7 million class-action lawsuit settlement, will be given to residents forced to spend money on bottled water after the chemical spill sparked widespread panic and health concerns among the Philadelphia communities affected.

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In late March 2023, thousands of gallons of a water-based latex finishing solution from the Trinseo chemical plant in Bristol, Bucks County, leaked into a tributary of the Delaware River that flows into a Philadelphia water processing plant.

As the city was unable to switch to a clean water source, authorities recommended residents drink bottled water, "out of an abundance of caution."

While it then turned out that the incident, which had been caused by an "equipment failure," had not affected drinking water in the city and authorities gave the all-clear to drink tap water four days later, the city's directions led to a quick and sudden shortage of bottled water at supermarkets.

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On March 30, 2023, a class-action lawsuit was filed in response to the incident by plaintiffs Timothy McGraw, Emily Cohen and Danielle Byrd. According to the lawsuit, Philadelphia residents who don't normally purchase plastic water because of its environmental impact were forced to do so, facing additional economic expenses such as the cost of gas to drive to grocery stores, the value of their time spent buying bottled water and lost business opportunities, revenues and profits.

Newsweek contacted the Philadelphia Water Department for comment by email on Thursday morning.

Thanks to the settlement, anyone who resided or had a physical business location in the Philadelphia ZIP codes affected by the incident and can provide proof they suffered a loss due to the chemical spill could receive monetary compensation.

Anyone who intends to bring separate legal action against the companies involved in the chemical spill would be refusing any payout included in the settlement.

If you're a Philadelphia resident affected by the chemical spill, you can file a claim by visiting phillywatersettlement.com and following directions to submit a claim. It's also possible to download and mailed the claim form to Settlement Administrator, 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210, Philadelphia, PA 19103. The deadline is August 16 at 11:59:59 p.m. local time.

Residents who can provide proof of residence in the area affected by the chemical spill are eligible to receive the base payout of $25 without providing further documentation. To claim more money, they have to provide proof of economic loss, such as receipts, invoices, credit card statements or business income and revenue statements.

Eligible residents must have resided or had a business in the following ZIP codes: 19102; 19103; 19106; 19107; 19109; 19111; 19112; 19114; 19115; 19116; 19119; 19120; 19121; 19122; 19123; 19124; 19125; 19126; 19128; 19129; 19130; 19132; 19133; 19134; 19135; 19136; 19137; 19138; 19140; 19141; 19144; 19145; 19146; 19147; 19148; 19149; 19152; and 19154.

The payouts will be sent after the settlement is officially approved. The final approval hearing is scheduled for September 23, but there could be appeals on the ruling.