Class action approved for North Battleford tainted water victims

According to the law firm involved, the courts have approved a class actionthat will compensate young people who became sick in the 2001 North Battleford, Sask.,tainted water scandal.

People became sick with flu-like symptoms and gastrointestinal complaints when the parasite cryptosporidium turned up in their drinking water.

• $3.2 million for North Battleford water victims

The contamination occurred after a filtering mechanism in North Battleford's water treatment system failed during maintenance done in March2001.

Some 800 people who got sick had already been compensated in previous out-of-court settlements.

However, a third court action was launched with the intention of having it approved as a class action.

That was approved by the courts and according to the firm behind the effort, anyone who was under 18 at the timeand became illcan now apply for compensation.