A U.S. district court judge gave final approval to the class-action settlement that covers repair or replacement of defective dip tubes in millions of water heaters across the country. The final approval solidifies the judge's preliminary approval, granted in November 1999, which allowed manufacturers to begin repairing affected water heaters.
A Kentucky law firm filed a last-minute challenge in mid-April against the settlement's public notification process, claiming it was inadequate. The law firm dropped its charges before the final approval on April 21.