EDWARDSVILLE AREA WATER WELL TESTING RECOMMENDED

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Homeowners who obtain their drinking water from private wells in the Edwardsville area are advised to have the water tested for possible groundwater contamination, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced today.

Routine testing of the city’s municipal water wells by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) revealed levels of trichloroethylene (TCE) exceeding the maximum contaminant level, indicating that the contaminants could also be present in the area’s private wells.

Although the contaminants were found in Edwardsville’s source water, contaminants are removed at the city’s water supply treatment plant and the water quality meets U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards.

Persons with private wells located within the area east of Route 111 extending to one mile east of Interstate 255, 1½ miles south of New Poag Road and a quarter mile north of New Poag Road, are encouraged to have their water tested by a private laboratory.

A list of private laboratories approved for testing can be obtained by calling Mike Hungerford, Illinois Department of Public Health, at 618-656-6680. Once samples have been analyzed, residents can call the health department for an explanation of the test results.

Exposure to trichloroethylene (TCE) for long periods may increase the risk of liver and kidney damage, and impair immune system function and fetal development.