The US state of Michigan is paying more than half a billion dollars to dismiss several lawsuits over the contaminated tap water in the city of Flint.

The presence of high lead concentrations in the water in Flint has been regarded as a public health emergency since 2014 and has led to a lot of anger and frustration locally.

Details of the settlement are expected to be announced Friday. The agreement comes after years of litigation by city residents seeking damages from the state.

The settlement amount is one of the highest in the history of the state of Michigan. Professor and water expert Marc Edwards, who helped bring the emergency to light, says that “if money is how the state expresses its regret for its crimes, this is a hefty apology.”

The problems with lead in the tap water started when the water supply from Lake Huron was diverted to the Flint River.

Lead poisoning was found in the population of Flint in two independent studies. The scandal wiped out several officials and led to civil and criminal charges.