AWWA JAW56583

The recent wave of lawsuits seeking to hold water providers liable for damages from health problems attributed to contaminants in drinking water raises the specter of yet another nascent upward pressure on water rates at a time when many utilities are fighting for funds to comply with tougher new Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) requirements and to upgrade security systems and aging infrastructure. Long bypassed by such litigation infavor of the deeper pockets of corporatesources of suspect environmentaltoxins, suppliers of public drinkingwater, both public agencies and privatecompanies, are increasingly being targetedas potentially paying parties for claimedlosses associated with incidences of cancer,miscarriages, birth problems, and othermaladies.This article examines several such casesthat have arisen in California, New Jersey,Virginia, and Texas. No two cases are alikeother than putting water utilities in a newand potentially very expensive legal arena. Includes figure.

Product Details

Edition:

Vol. 94 - No. 4

Published:

04/01/2002

Number of Pages:

9

File Size:

1 file , 300 KB