SEATTLE — Public water systems across the U.S. — including those in Washington — that have found “forever chemicals” in their drinking water are eligible for a piece of roughly $1.2 billion as part of a court settlement with chemical and manufacturing giants DuPont, Chemours and Corteva.

The settlement was preliminarily approved by a federal judge in South Carolina on Tuesday. Attorneys who have negotiated the settlement will soon begin notifying any public water systems that either have so far detected any level of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS; serve more than 3,300 people; or are required by state or federal law to test for PFAS.

The settlement applies to all water systems that meet these specifications, whether or not they are involved in the case.

In Washington, the

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