Illinois Residents Issued Drinking Water Warning
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Thousands of Americans have been warned that their drinking water has elevated levels of a contaminant, lead, posing a potential risk to public health.
Illinois American Water Company issued an alert to those it serves in Peoria District, a total of more than 120,000 Americans, according to the water information website Waterzen.
"We would like to inform you that during routine water testing in Peoria, certain test sites showed some samples with elevated levels of lead," the company wrote.
In 14 of the 103 samples tested, levels of lead were elevated - meaning they were higher than the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s action level of 15 parts per billion (ppb).
Newsweek has contacted Illinois American Water Company via email for comment.
Why It Matters
As contaminants in water systems can pose risks to public health, particularly at levels higher than legally enforced by the EPA—and some even argue that these levels should be lowered—advocacy groups have called for advancing the treatment of drinking water to maximize public safety.
The Environmental Working Group (EWG)'s water contaminant database shows some harmful contaminants are present in drinking water cross the country at levels higher than the EPA's maximum contaminant levels.
The EWG also recently reported more than 50,000 lifetime cancer cases in the U.S. could be prevented if drinking water treatment adopted a "multi-contaminant approach, tackling several pollutants at once," highlighting the impact contaminated drinking can have in the long-term on public health.
File photo: Tap water boils in a kettle in a kitchen.
File photo: Tap water boils in a kettle in a kitchen.
Silas Stein/dpa via AP
What To Know
While the EPA has an action level for lead at 15 ppb, the maximum contaminant level goal is set at zero because, as the EPA said, there is "no level of exposure to lead that is without risk."
Even at low levels of exposure, lead poses a risk to human health as it is persistent, meaning it can accumulate in the body.
In infants and children, lead can result in behavior and learning problems, as well as lower IQ and hyperactivity and other issues, the EPA warns. Birth outcomes can also be affected by a pregnant mother's exposure to lead, it says.
Adults exposed to lead can suffer from cardiovascular effects, increased blood pressure, hypertension, decreased kidney function, and reproductive problems.
However, as enforcing public drinking water services to adhere to a zero policy on lead is difficult, the 15 ppb action level makes water treatment expectations more "feasible."
If 10 percent of samples checked by a company have water concentrations of lead greater than 15 ppb, then the company "must perform actions such as public education and lead service line replacement," as Illinois American Water Company had to do by sending an alert to its customers.
"Please understand that these test results are specific to each of the individual sites tested," Illinois American Water Company said in its alert. "We are working with customers whose samples showed elevated levels and have been notified of their specific location results."
Those in affected regions have been advised to flush their taps - as levels of lead can increase over time as the water sits in lead-containing plumbing materials - as well as to use cold water for drinking as hot water may contain more lead than cold water.
The Illinois American Water Company warned that "boiling water will not remove or reduce lead."
The company also recommended an alternative source of water, such as bottled water, for those who are more vulnerable to the impacts of lead exposure, including pregnant women, infants, and young children.
What People Are Saying
Illinois American Water Company said: "If the water in your faucet has gone unused for more than six hours, flush the tap with cold water for 30 seconds to two minutes before drinking or using it to cook. If your service line is lead, you may need to flush the water for three to five minutes. To conserve water, catch the running water and use it to water your plants. Use cold water for drinking, cooking and making baby formula. Hot water has the potential to contain more lead than cold water. If hot water is needed for cooking or baby formula, heat cold water on the stove or in the microwave."
What Happens Next
Illinois American Water Company said it would be conducting additional lead and other water quality monitoring to "determine the extent of the situation as well as any site-specific concerns."
For those who have any questions or concerns related to their drinking water quality in the Peoria District or are interested in receiving a lead sampling kit, they can contact the Illinois American Water Company Water Quality Team at leadfreeil@amwater.com.
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