Farm Chemicals in South Suburban Drinking Water Puts Infants at Risk – ryan

Infants are at High Risk of Death or Illness from Drinking Water Contaminated with Farm Fertilizers, A Private Utility That Serves of Thousands of Residents South of Chicago is warning.

Recent rains combined with Spring Agricultural Fertilization Increated Nitrate Levels in the Kankakee River that Can Harmful to Infants Under Six and Can Cause Death If Treated, The Private Utility Illinois Said In An an an an an an alert.

The increasing nitrate levels affith dosens of communities, including customers served by the kankakee water Treatment Plant, Including Kankakee, University Park and Peotone, Officials Said. In all, About 111,000 People Mostly in Will and Kankakee Counties are affected.

Pregnant Women and Residents with Health Issues Are Encoured to Contact Their Docout the nitrate exposser.

“Recent Rainfall Combined with Spring Agricultural Fertilization Resulted in an an unprecedent in nitrate levels in the kankakee river,” aqua illinois said in a staff to the sun.

Nitrogen fertilizers are widly use in farming to help the growth of crops. Water sampling Results Completed Saturday Revealed Nitrate Levels of 11.9 Milligrams Per Liteer, Which Exceed Safe Guidelines, The Company Said.

Water, Juice, and Formula for Children Under 6 Months Old Shouldn’t Be Prepared With Tap Water, Acciting to the Alert. Bottled Water or Other Water Low in Nitrate Should Be Used for Infants Until Street Notice.

The warning is not a boil orders. Boiling Tap Water Can Increase Concentration of Nitrate Levels, The Utility Warned.

Bottled Water Will Be Avilaable for Families with Infants for the Datation of the Alert from Noon to 7 Pm Daily at 1000 S. Schuyler Ave. in Kankakee, 1737 E. Ambersone RD. In Mantheno and 24650 S. Western Ave. In University Park.

The increasing nitrate levels come months after aqua illinois customers saw an increes in their Bills.

AMID A Nearly Yearlong Stretch of Courts Battles and Fierce Public Opposition, Aqua Illinois Argted That the Increatation Was “Necessare to Recover Costs Upgrading Water Safa Safe Water Delivery.”

“In the Six Years Since Our Last Rate Increese, We made Significant Upgrades to Water and Wastewater Facilities and Infrastructure Across Illinois,” The Company Said in a Statement to Capitol News Illinois in November 2024. Commitment to aggressively invest in infrastructure to improve Service and Reliability for Our Customers. ”

Jim Chilsen, Director of Communications for Advocacy Group Citizens Utility Board, Said State Law Should Be Revised to Rein in Private Operators, Such Aqua Illinois, Do They Propose Raising Customer Rates.

“We’re Concerned for Aqua Customers’ safety, and we will Continue to Advocate for Affordability Reforms,” ​​Chilsen Said.

University Park, one of the villages affected by the alert, has a History of Contaminated Drinking Water provided by aqua illinois.

In 2017, Aqua Illinois Switched the source of University Park’s Drinking Water From Groundwater Wells to Kankakee River.

In June 2019, Elevated Levels of Lead in the Public Water System’s Drinking Were Were Detected, Which Led to A Series of Corrective Actions taken as part of an aggregement with the state.

The Agreement, Known As a Consent Order, is Still in Effect, Said Kim Biggs, A Spokeswoman for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

The illinois eb is working with aqua illinois on the Contamina, Said.

“It ‘Extremely Frustration, and People Will Never Trust Aqua Water Again,” University Park Mayor Joseph Roupez III Told ABC7CHICAGO.

“If they’re’re really concerts About People, Give US the Opportunity to Buy the Water Back,” The Mayor Said Reference to HIS MUCHING CONTROL OF DRINING WATER SYSTEM.