Calif. city wins $48M over perchlorate contamination

Sept. 15, 2021
The city of Pomona is set to receive $48M in damages from SQM North America Corporation after a legal battle over perchlorate groundwater contamination.

After a week-long trial, a federal jury awarded the City of Pomona, Calif. $48 million in damages from SQM North America Corporation, a subsidiary of a large Chilean mining company, for the costs of cleanup of the toxic chemical perchlorate from the City's groundwater supply. Fertilizer sold by SQMNA and used for decades in the citrus orchards of Pomona had been tainted with perchlorate which ended up in Pomona's drinking water supplies. 

James Makshanoff, city manager for Pomona, said "After 10 long years, Pomona has achieved its goal, which is to make sure that the citizens of our City will not have to pay the cost of cleaning up a mess created by a large foreign corporation doing business in our city. This is not only a win for our community, but it is a win for all communities because it tells big corporations who are polluting our water and threatening the health of our citizens that they will be brought to justice."

Perchlorate is a toxic chemical that can be particularly harmful to children as it disrupts hormones needed for healthy growth and development. The presence of perchlorate in 14 of its drinking water wells created substantial additional water treatment expenses for Pomona, including building and operating a specialized plant to remove the contaminant from its water. After the source of the perchlorate was identified as a contaminant in sodium nitrate fertilizer imported from Chile by SQMNA, the City filed a products liability lawsuit against the corporation.

Ken Sansone, Partner at SL Environmental Law Group and lead attorney for Pomona said, "The civic leaders of the City of Pomona should be commended for standing up on behalf of their citizens against a large international corporation to make sure that the company that created this pollution pays to clean it up. SQMNA fought hard for nearly a decade, but justice prevailed. We are honored to have had the opportunity to fight for the city and satisfied with the outcome."

SOURCE: SL Environmental Law Group, via PR Newswire

Sponsored Recommendations

WIN-911 Alarm Notification Software Enables Faster Response

March 15, 2024
Alarm notification software enables faster response for customers, keeping production on track

Automated Fresh Water Treatment

March 15, 2024
SCADA, Automation and Control for Efficient and Compliant Operations

Digital Transformation Enables Smart Water

March 15, 2024
During this webinar we will discuss factors driving the transformation to digital water, water industry trends, followed by a summary of solutions (products & services) available...

Smart Water Solutions: Transforming the Water Universe

March 15, 2024
Water is our most valuable resource, and efficient and effective water and wastewater handling is crucial for municipalities. As industry experts, you face a number of challenges...