Around 690,000 Pennsylvania-American Water Company customers will be receiving one-time bill credits of about $26 from the company, as part of a more than $18 million settlement with manufacturers whose so-called “forever chemicals” ended up in public waters.
The Public Utility Commission voted 5-0 last week to approve the distribution. Pennsylvania-American wants to apply the credits as soon as possible. Known by the acronym “PFAs” (perfluoroaykyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances), the chemicals have been used for decades in industrial and consumer products. They break down slowly in the environment and often defeat purification methods, making their way into drinking water sources.
After the bill credits are distributed, any small residual or rounding differences will be applied to Pennsylvania-American’s H2O Help to Others program, which supports hardship grants to needy customers.
