Lemont area water well testing recommended

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health is advising residents who obtain their drinking water from private wells in the Lemont area to test their water for possible groundwater contamination. Routine testing of Heritage Environmental’s water supply by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) detected contamination could be present in the area’s private wells.

Although the contaminants were found in Heritage Environmental’s source water, contaminants are removed at the city’s water supply treatment plant to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards so those on the public water supply are not affected.

Persons with private wells located within Cook County; south of the Cook/DuPage County line, north of McCarthy Road, east of Lemont Road and west of Walker Road are encouraged to have their water tested by a private laboratory. The area extends into DuPage County and is located north of the Cook/DuPage County line, south of the old railroad tracks, east of Bluff Road and west of the Amtrak/old railroad tracks intersection if a line was extended down to the Cook County/DuPage County line

Contaminates detected include vinyl chloride, cis 1,2 dichloroethene (cis 1-2-DCE) and 1,1-dichloroethene (1,1-DCE), exceeding the groundwater quality standard.

A list of private laboratories approved for testing can be obtained by calling Illinois Department of Public Health’s West Chicago office at 630-293-6800. Once samples have been analyzed, residents can call the health department for an explanation of the test results.

The risk of adverse health effects depends on the level of contaminants in the water and the duration of exposure. Exposure to elevated levels of vinyl chloride, cis 1-2-DCE, and 1,1-DCE can cause nausea, dizziness and headaches. Long-term exposure to these chemicals may affect the liver and kidney. Long-term vinyl chloride exposure may increase the risk of liver, brain, and blood cancers.