SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) is providing notification to the owners and operators of ten Community Water Systems (CWS) that have been identified as having an emergency connection to a CWS that was previously notified of the detection of one or more Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) at levels exceeding newly enacted groundwater quality standards. The ten CWS only utilize the emergency connection in the event of a water emergency. A list of the ten systems is included with this notification.
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Illinois Right-to-Know laws require CWSs to notify all end users if groundwater contamination poses a threat of exposure to the public above the Class I groundwater quality standards. This law establishes methods of notification and strict time frames for providing notice. Groundwater routinely utilized by the ten CWS specified in this release does not exceed the newly adopted groundwater quality standards; however, the systems are authorized to obtain water on an emergency basis from a neighboring CWS that has exceed the groundwater quality standards. The ten affected CWSs supply drinking water to an estimated 78,386 individuals.
On April 11, 2025, the Illinois Pollution Control Board (Board) adopted amendments to the Board’s Part 620 groundwater quality regulations. These amendments were first proposed by Illinois EPA to preserve and protect Illinois groundwater and to ensure that the state’s groundwater quality standards match current scientific data and methodologies. The Illinois EPA’s proposal included new groundwater quality standards for six PFAS, based on the most recent scientific information available:
- perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
- perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
- hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid, also known as GenX (HFPO-DA)
- perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
- pefluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
- perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
On April 14, 2025, Illinois EPA issued a press release notifying 21 CWSs that there has been a detection of one or more PFAS in the most recent water sampling at levels exceeding newly enacted groundwater quality standards. An additional 26 CWSs also received the same notification because they have a connection to and purchase water from one of the 21 CWSs identified. After further review of CWS connections, Illinois EPA identified ten additional systems that have the ability to access one of the 21 CWSs through an emergency water connection.
Although these state PFAS groundwater quality standards are newly established, Illinois EPA previously collected PFAS monitoring data from every CWS in the state through a statewide investigation into the prevalence and occurrence of PFAS in finished, or treated, drinking water. The data, compiled between 2020-2021, are available on the Illinois EPA PFAS Investigation Interactive Dashboard. Further, from 2023-2025, U.S. EPA is conducting PFAS testing in the State of Illinois under the fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR 5) which is available at https://www.epa.gov/dwucmr/fifth-unregulated-contaminant-monitoring-rule-data-finder#data-finder.
The Illinois Environmental Protection Act requires the owners or operators of these CWSs to notify their customers of this contamination by mail, email, post card, text message, or telephone within five business days of official receipt of the Illinois EPA’s notice. Within seven days of sending the notices, the owners or operators of the CWS must provide the Illinois EPA with written proof that the notices have been sent.
This press release and notices provided to CWSs will be posted on the Illinois EPA website at: https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/notices.html. More information regarding PFAS, including health effects and additional ways to reduce exposure, is available on the Illinois EPA PFAS webpage at https://epa.illinois.gov/topics/water-quality/pfas.html.
Additional information can be found on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry website at: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/pfas/. The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) provides additional information on PFAS in drinking water at: https://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/environmental-health-protection/private-water/fact-sheets/pfas-drinking-water.html.
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