It's been seven years since 13 southern Illinois water districts sued the makers of a farm herbicide, yet the case languishes in Madison County Circuit Court.

The Belleville News-Democrat reports that Judge Bill Mudge is the seventh to preside over the case.

The Holiday Shores Sanitary District was one of the water districts suing Syngenta, maker of atrazine. The herbicide is used on corn and grain grown in the United States and allegedly costs water districts millions of dollars for its removal from drinking water.

Attorney Steve Tillery says the districts want Syngenta to help pay for filtration, estimated at about $400 million a year.