Water Quality

The city of Crest Hill said on Monday the boil order for all homes south of Caton Farm Road will likely be in place for several days.

After city officials identified all lead service lines attached to the public works, Sycamore City Council on Oct. 21 approved parameters for how the city will handle future service line replacements.

Capacity of West Side Wastewater Treatment plant will be expanded to 18 million gallons a day.

The city of Joliet work will be replacing water mains along Plainfield Road, between Black Road and Theodore Street.

The boil order was issued Tuesday by Illinois American Water, which manages the village of Homer Glen's water service.

The McHenry County Department of Planning and Development invites the public and policymakers to learn more about the county’s water supply Sept. 18.

Hebron had sent a water protection plan to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, but that plan was not accepted. The village on Monday night approved spending up to $11,175 to rectify that

The City of Lockport announced residents in older subdivisions could be visited by public works staff in the coming weeks as the city completes lead service inspection for the state.

Wonder Lake's west side, totaling about 1,400 homes, has been under a boil order since Monday. It is expected to extend to at least Sunday

A contract authorized this week for design engineering services for lead service line replacement marks the latest action taken by DeKalb city leaders to help ensure that all residents may have access to clean water to drink.

Joliet needs to reduce its rate of water loss to 10% to meet a state standard for Lake Michigan water use. Joliet plans to convert to a Lake Michigan system in 2030.

The Illinois Department of Public Health deemed 148 ZIP codes high-risk for lead contamination, expanding mandatory lead testing to 60 Illinois counties.

Grand Prairie Water Commission being established as overseers of Lake Michigan water project.

The Conservation Foundation combats waterway issues with an array of programs and events.

The Illinois Department of Public Health urges well-owners to regularly test wells for contaminants to maintain the safety of their drinking water.

The average Yorkville resident will see a rate increase of just under $10 per month during the next year.

Joliet replacing old mains to reduce rate of water loss still at 31%.

The Biden administration on Wednesday finalized strict limits on certain so-called “forever chemicals” in drinking water that will require utilities to reduce them to the lowest level they can be reliably measured

The expanded testing by the Illinois Department of Public Health has resulted in advisories for nine bodies of water this year.

Batavia accepted the APWA Fox Valley Branch Project of the Year Award in the Environment category at a luncheon earlier in the year.

New legislation unveiled on Tuesday aims to provide state-funded breakfast and lunch to all public and private K-12 students in Illinois, fulfilling a law that was passed in 2023 but never financed.

Congresswoman Lauren Underwood announced that $12,662,536 in Community Project Funding for local projects in Illinois’ 14th District has been finalized.

The results of Lockport's semi-annual drinking water lead testing from late-2023 are in, with four out of 30 houses showing heightened levels of the dangerous metal.

DeKalb residents are invited to a public hearing Monday where they can weigh in on the city’s plan to apply for state funding to help pay for and replace lead-lined water pipes for area homes’ drinking water.

A discoloration in La Salle’s water may be present in some neighborhoods over the next few weeks as the city continues maintenance of its water treatment plant, the city of La Salle said in a news release Tuesday.

Most U.S. cities would have to replace lead water pipes within 10 years under strict new rules proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency as the Biden administration moves to reduce lead in drinking water

The City of Lockport is requesting that property owners complete a survey about their water pipes to determine which buildings still need to have lead pipes replaced.

With continued attention to habitat improvement, including dam modifications and stream re-meandering, there could come a day when stoneflies lose their status as a rarity.

Federal money to replace lead water service lines in Amboy and Polo is on its way.

Sycamore residents who frequent DeKalb Avenue won’t have to detour on Cross Street for much longer, as city officials said water main work in the area will soon be complete. A temporary pause on lead service line replacement is also in effect.

Rep. Sean Casten (D-Downers Grove) announced his Community Projects for Fiscal Year 2024, which could bring over $30 million in federal funding to the 6th Congressional District.

The Sycamore City Council awarded a $2.5 million contract to a Gilberts-based company for water main improvement projects on DeKalb and Elm streets, with construction set to start before April.

The EPA on Tuesday proposed limiting the amount of harmful “forever chemicals” in drinking water to the lowest level that tests can detect, a long-awaited protection the agency said will save thousands of lives and prevent serious illnesses, including cancer.

Sycamore residents could see an uptick in their water utility bills pending City Council approval as city staff say rate increases are needed make up for revenue shortfalls meant to fund infrastructure improvements.

ExxonMobil Joliet and Citgo Lemont refineries high on list of discharges reported by Environmental Integrity Project

Another 365 water service pipes lined with lead are set to be replaced for Sycamore residents after the city was granted a $4.1 million loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, officials confirmed this week.

City plans to pass ordinance banning use of groundwater for drinking at Joliet-owned fueling station.

The city of Genoa is creating an inventory of residential water service lines in an effort to identify how many are lined with lead and need to be replaced. Residents should anticipate a public works employee could soon visit their home.

Water main replacement projects on two DeKalb streets will soon begin, after the DeKalb City Council on Monday voted to approve the plans. Construction on 13th and 14th streets in DeKalb will replace water mains on both streets.

The city of DeKalb is proposing a plan to use $1 million in COVID-19 relief funds to replace about 200 lead-lined water service lines for residents, according to city documents.

“I think that it’s a valuable infrastructure change,” Ward 1 Alderman Carolyn Morris said about a plan to replace lead-lined water service lines in DeKalb. "Over time, you’re just going to see these lead pipes degrade more and become a greater problem in the household."

“We’re in the middle of a pandemic – we need fresh water,” said Sycamore resident Isaac Wilson. With plans underway for lead service line replacement in Sycamore, some residents say they still have trust issues with the city. Read Part 5 of a series on Sycamore water:

The Kishwaukee Water Reclamation District in DeKalb was recently awarded a $7.1 million state loan to consolidate the Village of Malta and Kishwaukee Community College’s wastewater treatment facilities.

UPDATE: A boil order issued Friday for Malta residents was lifted Saturday morning, according to an update from the Village of Malta.

Issues concerning Sycamore residents about potential lead exposure from their water hits home with Northwestern Medicine pediatrician Kristina Stibitz, from Flint, Michigan. She's sharing signs for parents to watch for if they're concerned about health side effects.

Elevated lead levels in some Sycamore homes has a state agency keeping close tabs on city water. Read Part 1 of a series by the Daily Chronicle looking into the city of Sycamore’s water system and some of the concerns it's facing.

Water continues to be safe to drink and there are no service disruptions for residents even though some wells were closed as a precaution, officials said

The Village of Shabbona in DeKalb County recently was awarded a $1 million forgivable loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency for a new water treatment plant, according to a news release.

As a class-action lawsuit against the city related to water quality continues, Sycamore city officials recently approved a $99,200 agreement to complete design and bidding services for the City’s 2022 water main and street improvements plan.

Lawyers representing Sycamore residents in a class-action lawsuit filed against the City of Sycamore are now in the beginning stages of evidence gathering in the case, related to months of public outcry over concerns about water quality.