Engineering company settles Flint water lawsuits for $53M but denies any blame for lead crisis

DETROIT (AP) — An engineering company said Friday it has agreed to pay $53 million to settle all remaining lawsuits that alleged some blame for lead-contaminated water in Flint, Michigan, a decade ago.

The deal by Veolia North America and Flint residents comes on top of $26.3 million in previous settlements with the company, and $626 million from the state of Michigan and other parties.

Veolia has denied responsibility for the contamination and repeatedly noted that it was briefly hired by Flint as a consultant months after the city began pulling water from the Flint River in 2014. The water was not treated to reduce corrosion, causing lead to leach from old pipes.

Critics claimed Veolia could have done much more before then-Gov. Rick Snyder and Flint switched the city’s water source back to a regional supplier in fall 2015. By that time, tests showed elevated lead levels in children.

“This final settlement is in no way an admission of responsibility, but the best resolution to avoid decades of costly, unproductive, and time-consuming litigation, and to bring closure for all parties involved,” Veolia said.

The company said the Flint water crisis was “caused by government officials.” Veolia said it had no role in the water switch or running the Flint water plant and was told that the water was meeting standards.

The $53 million settlement will be distributed to approximately 26,000 people represented by law firms, the Michigan attorney general’s office said. As part of the deal, the state will dismiss its own separate lawsuit against Veolia.

“After years of drawn-out legal battles, this settlement finally closes a chapter for Flint residents,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said.

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By ED WHITE Associated Press