Crest Hill residents warned of high levels of ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water

Crest Hill — Residents of Crest Hill started to receive letters from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency in late April informing them that their water system had a previously unreported issue – high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, also known as PFAS or “forever chemicals.”

According to the IEPA website, PFAS are “a group of several thousand human-made chemicals that are manufactured for their oil- and water-resistant properties.”

Although they have been used widely since the 1940s in “a range of consumer products, industrial processes and in some fire-fighting foams,” this has resulted in them being released into the air, water and soil, and subsequently into human bodies, as they do not break down easily.

In recent years, health and environmental agencies have begun studying the presence and potential negative effects of these substances, and regulations have been implemented to reduce them in certain products such as food packaging, according to the IEPA.

Adverse health effects of PFAS on humans still are being studied but could reportedly increase the risk of certain cancers, lower immune system responses, and create pregnancy and fertility complications.

The state of Illinois implemented new groundwater quality standards in 2021 pertaining to six specific chemicals, two of which were found to exist in excessive levels in Crest Hill.

According to a letter sent by the IEPA to the Crest Hill Community Water System, two chemicals – perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) – were overly present in two of the city’s wells.

PFOA was found at a rate of 13.7 parts per trillion, more than three times the regulated limit of 4 parts per trillion, and PFHxS was found at a rate of 12.2 parts per trillion, despite a regulated limit of 10 parts per trillion.

Although letters were sent to most residents, the city of Crest Hill issued an explanation on Facebook on May 1 that only two of the system’s eight wells have PFAS levels exceeding the state limits. The affected wells are Well 1 (Chaney) and Well 7 (Elrose), according to the city.

Crest Hill City Engineer Ron Wiedeman said the IEPA regulations require that municipalities that exceed PFAS limits must continue testing through 2027 and need to have a plan actively in place to reduce the levels by April 2029.

“Our plan is to bring in Lake Michigan water,” said Wiedeman, although he noted that the infrastructure to change the city’s water supply will not be ready until spring or summer 2030, and an agreement with the state likely will need to be signed leading up to the deadline.

Crest Hill, Joliet and Romeoville all entered into a plan to switch from their current well systems over to Lake Michigan water in the last year, while other neighboring communities, including Lockport, chose to stick with their current systems to avoid the extra expense.

“Our equipment now doesn’t have the technology to get the PFAS out of the water,” Wiedeman said. “We are currently conducting a mini study to look for solutions, but that will take about four to six months to complete.”

Short-term solutions

In the interim, Wiedeman urged residents to visit the IEPA website for more information on PFAS and for suggestions on how to filter their water or reduce exposure.

Some methods recommended by the IEPA include installing advanced home water filtration systems such as carbon filters, anion exchange filters or reverse osmosis filters. These can be installed on individual faucets or appliances or at the water point of entry to the home. Certain pitchers such as Brita filters also can remove PFAS from drinking water.

Switching to certain brands of bottled water also may help avoid or reduce PFAS consumption; however, the IEPA emphasizes that the Food and Drug Administration has not yet set official PFAS limits on bottled water, and consumers should research the standards of brands they purchase.

Although these methods are recommended to reduce consumed chemicals, the IEPA noted that “in-home treatment may not always reduce PFAS below levels of concern,” depending on the concentration in the water and how well maintained the filtration and water systems are.

One Crest Hill resident, Ruperto Rodriguez, who received his letter April 26 and reached out to The Herald-News, said he already has invested in a home solution by installing a carbon filter system days after receiving the news.

“I was very surprised when I got the letter,” Rodriguez said. “I posted about it online, and a lot of people were freaking out about it. I went out and bought a carbon filter for my whole house, but it cost just under $3,000, and I know not everyone can afford to do that.”

Rodriguez said he thought the price of the system was worth it since it is estimated to last 20 years, but he still was disturbed by the news, and he had questions for the city.

“I’ve been drinking this water for 30 years,” he said. “How did it get this bad? Why is it not like this in Joliet or Lockport? They shouldn’t be issuing new building permits for the city if they know the water is this bad.”

Rodriguez noted that several fellow residents he spoke to also were upset at what they viewed as the city’s slow response to the news and were planning on speaking at the May 5 City Council meeting.

“My concern is how people should handle it,” he said. “We don’t want to be another Flint, Michigan, but I think the city didn’t want to create a panic.”

Wiedeman said many residents showed up at the City Council meeting May 5, and some asked questions.

During the meeting, Mayor Ray Soliman expressed shared concerns and frustration with the issue, saying, “We did not create this problem with the PFAS, but we are forced to deal with it,” and noted that it is a nationwide issue, not just a local one.

An additional 47 Illinois communities also were notified in April about overabundant PFAS in their drinking water, including Channahon in Will County and Minooka in Grundy County.

“We are exploring all our options to remediate this problem,” Soliman told the residents. “I ask for your cooperation, and I ask for your patience.”