Water back on for Plum Creek residents, but under boil order

The water at Plum Creek Condominiums in Wheeling was turned back on Tuesday night after residents were left without it for five days. Residents are still being advised to boil the water before consuming it, though, says Cornerstone Management Lead Administration Assistant Amanda Turner.

Cornerstone manages the 210-unit building.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Kim Biggs says a contract operator collected five samples from the water distribution line and one from the well. A lab is testing the water for a form of bacteria called coliform, something that is typically done when a community is under a boil order.

Each sample usually costs anywhere from $10 to $20 to test, Biggs said.

Once the tests come back negative for coliform, the boiling order will be lifted.

"Once the water is safe to drink, we'll send emails to residents and post notices," Turner said.

Plum Creek has two wells, and both are owned by the Plum Creek Condo Association and its residents. One of the property's wells failed several months ago.

A pump shaft broke in the other well Friday, making it impossible for water to get from the ground to the residents.

The Layne Christensen Co. arrived at Plum Creek Friday to install a new pump and motor along with new piping in the well that broke down Friday. That project wrapped up Tuesday evening, but machine shop supervisor Jeff Poppen called it a temporary fix.

Wheeling Village President Dean Argiris says Plum Creek could have fixed the wells before the pump broke Friday.

"We've been talking for years telling them this was going to happen," Argiris said.

The Plum Creek Condo Association now has to decide whether to repair and maintain the old wells, or install a new main system that could connect to the village water supply.

"In order for any decisions to be made, there will have to be a special emergency board meeting," Turner said.

Wheeling Village Manager Jon Sfondilis says that while he hopes the board will make a decision in the next week, the village doesn't have jurisdiction over what Plum Creek will do with their privately owned wells.

During the water outage, portable toilets were set up in the parking lot, and a water tank was placed in the parking garage. And residents were allowed to use park district facilities for showers.