IEPA Notifies Four Communities of Groundwater Contamination

Today, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency reported that it notified the Fox River Grove public drinking water supply, the Hennepin Public Water District, the Rockford public water supply, and the Six Oaks Mobile Home Park (located south of Pecatonica on Route 20) public drinking water supply that there were confirmed detections of groundwater contamination that pose threats of exposure to the public above the Class I groundwater quality standards.

Specifically, IEPA stated that "trichloroethylene (TCE) has been detected and confirmed" in Fox River Grove, Rockford, and Six Oaks Mobile Home Park's "raw (source) and finished (distributed) drinking water, and the TCE exceeds 2.5 parts per billion (ppb).  This level does not yet exceed the Class I groundwater quality standard for TCE of 5.0 ppb that both federal and State law allows in drinking water.  However, the Right to Know provision of the Environmental Protection Act requires that the public be notified even before this Class I groundwater quality standard is exceeded in their drinking water."

IEPA also stated that "tetrachloroethylene (PCE) has been detected and confirmed" in Hennepin's "raw (source) and finished (distributed) drinking water, and the PCE exceeds 2.5 parts per billion (ppb).  This level does not yet exceed the Class I groundwater quality standard for PCE of 5.0 ppb that both federal and State law allows in drinking water.  However, the Right to Know provision of the Environmental Protection Act requires that the public be notified even before this Class I groundwater quality standard is exceeded in their drinking water.

"The Environmental Protection Act requires the water supply provide notification to its customers of this contamination by mail, email, post card, text message or telephone, within five business days of official receipt of the Illinois EPA’s notice.  The public drinking water supply must provide the Illinois EPA with written proof of the notifications within seven calendar days after they are sent."

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.