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Contingencies and Environmental Remediation | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 29, 2020
Contingencies and Environmental Remediation |
Contingencies and Environmental Remediation | 11. Contingencies and Environmental Remediation ​ The Company is a defendant in numerous legal matters arising from its ordinary course of operations, including those involving product liability, environmental matters, and commercial disputes. ​ Other than the items described below, significant commitments and contingencies at March 29, 2020 are consistent with those discussed in Note 15 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. ​ As of March 29, 2020, the Company estimates that the aggregate amount of reasonably possible loss in excess of the amount accrued for its legal contingencies is approximately $4.9 million pre-tax. With respect to the estimate of reasonably possible loss, management has estimated the upper end of the range of reasonably possible loss based on (i) the amount of money damages claimed, where applicable, (ii) the allegations and factual development to date, (iii) available defenses based on the allegations, and/or (iv) other potentially liable parties. This estimate is based upon currently available information and is subject to significant judgment and a variety of assumptions, and known and unknown uncertainties. The matters underlying the estimate will change from time to time, and actual results may vary significantly from the current estimate. In the event of an unfavorable outcome in one or more of the matters, the ultimate liability may be in excess of amounts currently accrued, if any, and may be material to the Company’s operating results or cash flows for a particular quarterly or annual period. However, based on information currently known to it, management believes that the ultimate outcome of all matters, as they are resolved over time, is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company, though the outcome could be material to the Company’s operating results for any particular period depending, in part, upon the operating results for such period. ​ Chemetco, Inc. Superfund Site, Hartford, Illinois ​ In August 2017, Watts Regulator Co. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company) received a “Notice of Environmental Liability” from the Chemetco Site Group (“Group”) alleging that it is a potentially responsible party for the Chemetco, Inc. Superfund Site in Hartford, Illinois (the “Site”) because it arranged for the disposal or treatment of hazardous substances that were contained in materials sent to the Site and that resulted in the release or threat of release of hazardous substances at the Site. The letter offered Watts Regulator Co. the opportunity to join the Group and participate in the Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study (“RI/FS”) at the Site. Watts Regulator Co. joined the Group in September 2017 and was added in March 2018 as a signatory to the Administrative Settlement Agreement and Order on Consent with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“USEPA”) governing completion of the RI/FS. Based on information currently known to it, management believes that Watts Regulator Co.’s share of the costs of the RI/FS is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company, or have a material adverse effect on the Company’s operating results for any particular period. The Company is unable to estimate a range of reasonably possible loss for the above matter in which damages have not been specified because: (i) the RI/FS has not been completed to determine what remediation plan will be implemented and the costs of such plan; (ii) the total number of potentially responsible parties who may or may not agree to fund or perform any remediation has not yet been determined; (iii) the share contribution for potentially responsible parties to any remediation has not been determined; and (iv) the number of years required to implement a remediation plan acceptable to USEPA is uncertain. ​

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