The City of Crest Hill held an informational meeting Monday to update residents on the PFAS contamination in some of the city’s wells.

“We did not create this problem; we are forced to deal with it though,” said Mayor Ray Soliman. “This is not a problem that is exclusive to Crest Hill, but we are taking it very seriously, and we are mitigating it as best as we can.”

Earlier this month, the City Council gave permission to an engineering firm to seek proposals to pilot test filter systems at two wells.

City Engineer Ron Wiedeman said Monday the city hopes to have “at least two companies” begin pilot testing on the wells this summer after it reviews the proposals in May. The tests are estimated to last 12 to 18 months.

Crest Hill residents were informed in April 2025 that the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency had discovered high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – also known as PFAS or “forever chemicals” – in several of the city’s eight wells.

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

These chemicals have been used in a wide array of products since the 1940s, which has resulted in them being widespread in the soil, water, and air all around the world.

Although PFAS have not been directly linked to any specific ailment, they do not break down in human bodies and are suspected to worsen the risks for health problems including certain forms of cancer and low fertility and pregnancy complications.

The IEPA has now put limits for safe amounts of six common PFAS chemicals in drinking water.

Two of those chemicals, PFOA and PFHxS, were found to have higher than permitted concentrations in Crest Hills wells. Wells 1, 4, and 10 were all found to have been impacted, though Well 1 was the most contaminated.

PFOA was found at a rate of 13.7 parts per trillion in Well 1, 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.

City officials noted Monday that subsequent testing has been done on the wells, and the level of the chemicals present fluctuated over time, sometimes dropping just below the limit.

Ultimately, the city’s solution to the problem was underway before the IEPA notices went out.

By switching the city’s water supply to Lake Michigan water instead of wells as part of the Grand Prairie Water Commission with Joliet, Romeoville, Channahon, Minooka, and Shorewood, the city will be able to stop relying on the contaminated ground water in the wells.

As Soliman noted “because of the volume of water in the Great Lakes, Lake Michigan water, PFAS in Lake Michigan are undetectable at this point.”

However, that solution will not be ready until at least mid-2030 if the Lake Michigan line construction does not experience any delays. Crest Hill’s portion of the construction is not anticipated to begin until late 2027 or early 2028, according to Soliman.

In the interim, the city has been working on short-term solutions since last summer.

In October, the City Council approved a $200,000 plan to better mix the city’s water with an advanced automated pumping system.

The computer system, known as a SCADA system, would monitor water demand and turn pumps from wells on and off as needed. The new system would shift operations to pump water from uncontaminated wells – 8, 11, and either 9 and 12 (which cannot run simultaneously) – around the clock.

This would provide the city with the majority of its required water. During periods of higher demand, pumping would turn on for first Well 10, then Well 7, and if necessary Well 4. Well 1 would only be needed in extreme circumstances.

Wiedeman reported Monday the computer system has been installed and is ready to begin operations once ongoing repairs on Well 8’s iron filter are completed in March.

“Once that is complete we can start the new blending plan, which should reduce the PFAS levels in the water at the point of use,” he said.

Filtration pilot test

In addition to the blending, the City Council agreed in October to explore possibilities of installing filtration systems on Wells 10 and 7 in order to more thoroughly clean their water when they are needed.

The City Council heard presentations from engineering firm Strand Associates discussing several possible filtration methods.

Wiedeman explained that while the City Council agreed that a Granular Activated Carbon filtration system would be the best option due to costs and the ability to incinerate the spent filters and destroy the PFAS, all of the technologies are too new to install without first completing a pilot test for the IEPA.

At its Feb. 2 meeting, the City Council gave permission to Strand Associates to seek proposals to pilot test the filter systems at Wells 10 and 7.

Wiedeman noted that the length of the study and the subsequent installation time of the filtration system would likely not have full filtration systems installed until 2029, but said the city opted to do the pilot testing in order to have options.

“If anything happens to delay that Chicago connection and we need to use the wells for another year, we don’t want to have not even done the study,” he said. “Anyone who has worked in construction knows delays can happen. If the study is done, we can make a choice at the time about what to do.”

Wiedeman explained that if the connection is on time and the blending is working, the city could choose to not invest in the filtration system for just one year.

But if the project is delayed or the PFAS levels remain high, doing the pilot test would allow them to install more mitigation measures in time for the state’s 2029 deadline for addressing contamination.

“I understand that everyone would like things to go faster,” he said. “But we’re under the guidance of the IEPA and we have to follow their rules.”

While a full filtration system cannot be installed until after testing is complete, Wiedeman did note that any water that goes through the test filters from Wells 10 and 7 will be going into the drinking system.

That water that goes through the filtration system could also see reduced PFAS in smaller quantities.

“We’re going to push to get this going as fast as we can,” Wiedeman said. “Unfortunately, the IEPA works slowly. We’re doing what we can.”

The final cost of the pilot study will not be known until proposals are received from companies.