(ANSA) - WASHINGTON, NOV 11 - A federal judge has approved a $ 626 million settlement for the thousands of victims of the lead water crisis in Flint, Michigan, one of the worst public health crises in US history.
Much of the compensation will be paid by the state of Michigan, accused of repeatedly ignoring the risks of using Flint River water - to cut costs compared to supplies from Lake Huron - without purifying it properly.
The incident led to the indictment of former Governor Rick Snyder.
At the end of six years of legal disputes, a federal judge gave a green light to the agreement to compensate the thousands of residents affected by toxic water, also poisoned by legionella and other contaminants.
The agreement was signed by 81,000 of the approximately 100,000 inhabitants, mostly African-Americans.
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