Elgin warns residents to drink filtered water because of lead contamination
Elgin residents, especially those in older homes, should only drink filtered or treated water after “elevated levels” of lead were found in drinking water in some houses and other buildings during routine tests, the city said.
The toxic metal likely came from lead service lines leading from municipal water pipes, according to a news release.
Lead isn’t in the sources of Elgin’s drinking water or in its treated drinking water, the city said in the release.
Twice a year, Elgin tests the water quality of 100 homes and other buildings that have lead service lines or could have pipes soldered with lead, based on their ages. Buildings and homes constructed before 1988 or with plumbing at least that old are most at-risk for lead in water, officials said.
In the first half of 2023, the city found water in eight of 100 homes had lead above an action level established by the EPA, according to the news release.
In the most recent round of tests, water from 19 of 100 homes had an even greater level of lead. As a result, the city had to notify the public and take corrective action, according to the news release.
Officials will hold two open houses at the Edward Schock Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way, about the problem. They’re scheduled to run from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 8.
Lead can enter drinking water systems as plumbing materials corrode.
No amount of lead is considered safe to ingest. It can be harmful to humans even at low exposure levels, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Lead can build up in the body over time. Young children, infants, and fetuses particularly are vulnerable to lead because the physical and behavioral effects of lead occur at lower exposure levels in children than in adults, the EPA said.
In children, low levels of exposure have been linked to damage to the peripheral nervous system, learning disabilities, shorter stature, impaired hearing and impaired formation and function of blood cells.
In addition to drinking filtered or treated water, Elgin residents can run faucets that have been idle for hours for at least five minutes before using water for drinking or cooking. People also should use only cold water for cooking and should replace plumbing fixtures containing lead, the city said.
If concerned about lead exposure, parents should contact the health department or health care providers to get a child tested.
Residents can get information about lead testing and free water filters at cityofelgin.org/lead.
Additionally, people can learn about the city’s lead service line replacement efforts online at cityofelgin.org/1975/Lead-Information. An estimated 870 lead service lines are set to be replaced in 2024 and in 2025, according to the news release.
To learn if your home has a lead service line, visit cityofelgin.org/1975/Lead-Information. Call 311 to learn how to get your water tested for lead.
Learn more about the dangers of lead in drinking water at epa.gov.