The defendants in a six-year old lawsuit involving lead contamination of a retention pond have agreed to pay Kane County $5.4MM.
When the Kane County Judicial Center was constructed back in the early 1990s, contractors used roofing materials that contained lead-coated copper materials. The idea was to have a roof that lasted for 30 years that maintained a watertight seal and a uniform look the entire time.
In the fall of 2003, the roof started leaking and had a rainbow of colors in patches and streaks. Lad from the roof washing off into an internal stormwater collection system that fed into a retention pond. Sampling of the pond water and sediments found lead as high as 10 times the levels allowed by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
Kane County filed a lawsuit against the architects, general contractors and the manufacturer of the roofing materials when they determined the discoloration stemmed from a lack of uniform lead coating on the roofing panels. The setlement will pay for the pond cleanup and legal fees. The judicial center will get a new roof.
Contractors used roofing materials that contained lead-coated copper materials.Daniel S
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