CRYSTAL LAKE – Residents should be getting notices that an industrial solvent contamination has been found in the city’s water supply. However, officials said there was no reason for alarm.
“The water is safe,” Crystal Lake Public Works Director Eric Lecuyer said.
Trichloroethylene has been found in the city’s drinking water at levels below federal standards for nine years, but a new state law requires all users be notified. Trichloroethylene has been detected at 2.9 parts per billion, which is slightly more than half of the 5 parts per billion allowable under state and federal laws. The notifications were mandatory because levels exceed 2.5 parts per billion.
The new law went into effect this summer after legislation spurred by a water contamination case in Crestwood, said Maggie Carson, a spokeswomen for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The notifications are meant to better inform consumers. Crystal Lake’s water meets all state and federal requirements for Class 1 groundwater.
Since the contamination was first discovered in 2000, city officials have been documenting it in annual quality reports available to all consumers.
“It’s not news to us,” Lecuyer said. “We’ve been monitoring and reporting it all along.”
The suspected source of the contamination is adjacent to one of the city’s five water plants, he added.
Trichloroethylene is commonly used to remove grease from fabricated metals and textiles, according to the EPA. Some people who ingest trichloroethylene over long periods of time can have health problems involving the liver. They also might have an increased risk of cancer.
Similar trichloroethylene contamination notices were sent to Fox River Grove residents in November.
Jay Paul Deratany and The Deratany Firm in Chicago represents those injured by negligent environmental practices. If you or someone you know has been injured by contaminated water in Illinois, contact Environmental Law Attorney Jay Paul Deratany for your free initial consultation.
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