The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is advising residents who obtain their drinking water from private wells near the Lake Bluff Estates Mobile Home Park in Lake Bluff to consider testing their water for contaminants.
According to a news release issued Friday by the IDPH, routine water supply well testing at the mobile home park formerly known as the Rockland Mobile Home Park indicates the contaminant 1,4-Dioxane could be present in nearby private wells at levels greater than Illinois’ groundwater quality standard.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) has adopted a groundwater quality standard of 0.78 parts per billion (ppb) for 1,4-Dioxane, the IDPH said.
Years of exposure to 1,4-Dioxane above 0.78 ppb may lead to an increased risk of liver cancer, officials said.
The level of 1,4-Dioxane detected in the Mobile Home Park’s water supply was 0.95 ppb.
Residents with private wells in an area bounded by the Elgin Joliet and Eastern Railway to the north and west, Illinois Route 131 to the east, and Illinois Route 176 to the south are encouraged to have their water tested by a private laboratory.
Additional options include installing carbon filters or requesting a connection to the Village of Lake Bluff community water supply.
IDPH is also advising private well owners across the state to check if they are in the vicinity of community water systems showing elevated levels of one or more Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in IEPA testing.
IEPA recently sent notices to 47 community water systems and 10 water systems with emergency connections around the state whose systems indicated levels above normal groundwater quality standards.
The presence of PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” means there could also be elevated levels in the groundwater that supplies nearby private wells, officials said.
IDPH recommends well owners in the vicinity of impacted community water systems to have their water tested by a private laboratory and consider installing carbon filters on their faucets.
“The overwhelming majority of Illinois’s water systems do not show signs of elevated PFAS levels,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “However, it is important for Illinois residents to know where and when elevated levels are present and to take appropriate steps to respond.” IDPH’s Division of Environmental Health can assist private well owners by providing information they need to have their water tested and to address any concerns.”
PFAS are stable, persistent chemicals that can accumulate in the human body over time. Excess levels of PFAS have been linked to a number of potential health issues, including higher risks of cancer, thyroid disease, decreased birth weight, increased total cholesterol in adults, and decreased vaccine responses in children.
Residents seeking a list of laboratories certified to analyze drinking water for 1,4-Dioxane or PFAS, interpret test results, contaminant health effects information, and recommendations for individuals who regularly consume well water, please contact IDPH by phone at (217) 782-5830 or by email at [email protected].