March 23, 2010

State Health Department Recommends Water Well Testing for GEM Suburban Mobile Home Park

ROCKFORD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is advising residents who get their drinking water from private wells in the GEM Suburban Mobile Home Park (MHP) area in Rockford (Winnebago County), to test their water for possible groundwater contamination. Routine testing of the GEM Suburban Mobile Home Park community water supply wells by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) indicates contaminants could be present in the area’s private wells.

The contaminant trichloroethylene was detected at levels lower than the Illinois Groundwater Standard. Although the contaminant’s levels were lower than the standard, this is the same groundwater that serves private wells and it is possible the levels of the contaminants may be higher in private wells.

Residents with private wells located within the area (map below) east of a half mile west of Illinois 2, south of U.S. 20, west of the Rock River, and north of the Rock River, are encouraged to have their water tested for volatile organic compounds by a private laboratory.

For a list of laboratories certified to analyze drinking water for volatile organic compounds, interpretation of test results, contaminant health effects information, and recommendations for individuals who regularly consume well water, contact Clay Simmonson, clay.simmonson@illinois.gov, Illinois Department of Public Health Rockford Regional Office, 4302 N. Main St, Rockford, IL. 61103, phone (815) 987-7511. You may also contact Todd Marshall, tmarshall@wchd.org, Winnebago County Health Department, 401 Division Street, Rockford, IL 61104, phone (815) 720-4118.

The risk of adverse health effects depends on the levels of contaminants in the water and the length of exposure. Long-term exposure to these chemicals may result in an increased health risk to the liver and kidneys.

No violations of state or federal drinking water standards have occurred at GEM Suburban MHP. For information concerning the community water supply contact Dean Studer at 217-558-8280 or via email at dean.studer@illinois.gov.

This information has been compiled from historic data and is provided to the public to ensure full disclosure of state records.