Elgin tickets business for polluting creek

While Elgin officials still haven’t determined the nature of the yellow substance that ran into Tyler Creek, they have issued a citation to the business they believe is responsible.

But on the advice of City Manager Sean Stegall, the city is not releasing the name of the company, said Colby Basham, the public works superintendent of the sewer and water utility divisions.

Basham would only say that the city has narrowed it down to a business in the North Gate Industrial Park, which is north of I-90 and west of Route 31.

As part of its investigation, crews opened manhole covers and followed the tainted trail upstream to the business.

An outside lab is testing the substance and results are expected to be released within five days.

Friday, the company was cited for depositing waste under the city’s water pollution ordinance and could face a fine ranging between $50 and $750 per incident.

It also appears the creek’s contamination may have been accidental.

The company was washing equipment at the time in its parking lot and some of the fluid rolled onto the ground and flowed into the nearby stormwater grate, Basham said.

“It’s not quite as egregious as taking something and directly dumping it in, but it’s not like they didn’t know because it’s right there in their parking lot,” Basham said.

An adjudication hearing has been scheduled for 9 a.m. on May 2

Meanwhile, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is investigating the case and may bring charges of its own. There’s no evidence that the substance harmed any wildlife, Basham said. The creek’s cleanup is ongoing.