FRESNO -- A school district is suing a company it claims contaminated the drinking wells with toxic chemicals.
The Selma Unified School District filed a complaint on May 19 in Fresno Superior Court against The Dow Chemical Company, Shell Chemical Company and Does 1-300 for strict product liability, design defect, failure to warn, nuisance, trespass and negligence.
The Selma Unified School District alleges that the drinking water supply wells are contaminated with TCP, a highly toxic substance that is an ingredient, component, constituent, contaminant and/or impurity in certain commercial products, from The Dow Chemical Company and Shell Oil Company. Selma Unified School District alleged that in the past, TCP was applied, released, discharged and/or disposed of within the vicinity of particular drinking water production wells owned or operated by the school district, and TCP has migrated through the subsurface and into the groundwater, and now contaminates the water pumped from the wells.
The Selma Unified School District seeks an award of exemplary damages, compensatory damages, attorney's fees and cost of suit. The Selma Unified School District is represented by Seth D. Mansergh of the SL Environmental Law Group, PC.