By AP/KWMU
East Alton, Ill. – The Metro-East village of East Alton, Illinois has settled an $8 million lawsuit with some oil companies.
The town accused the companies of contaminating water with the gasoline additive MTBE.
MTBE has been used in gasoline for decades to reduce smog-causing emissions. But it's been found to contaminate drinking water when gas leaks into the ground or is spilled.
The contamination never reached the village's water plant.
The village detected the contamination in 1999.
MTBE also can make water undrinkable because of an unpleasant smell, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers it to be a potential carcinogen.