Illinois EPA Seeks Court Order Against McLean County Water Supplier Following E. Coli Positive Sample Results

SPRINGFIELD -Illinois EPA Director Alec Messina has asked the Illinois Attorney General's Office to seek an injunctive court order to require Country Lane Mobile Home Park, LLC located in McLean County to immediately cleanup bacterial contamination in its water supply. The Agency is also citing the company, owned by John and Kelly Theobald, for several violations of Illinois Pollution Control Board regulations and the Illinois Environmental Protection Act.

Country Lane Mobile Home Park currently supplies water to approximately 30 homes. The Illinois EPA became concerned in May and again in June when routine samples indicate the presence of total coliform bacteria. The water system was required to advise residents to boil their water, and this public notice was provided on May 26, 2017. On June 27, 2017, the Agency issued a notice of violation demanding that the water supply owners address the bacteria contamination, install chlorination equipment and provide routine reports to the Agency on the operation of the water supply. On August 22, 2017, the Agency received new monitoring data that indicated the presence of e. coli contamination in the water distributed to customers. On August 24, the water supply and Illinois EPA received confirmation from additional sampling that e. coli contamination was present.

While the water system was operating with a boil order in place throughout this time, the Illinois EPA required that a hand delivered public notice be supplied to each resident notifying them of the presence of e. coli. in their drinking water. On the morning of August 24 water supply operational staff provided a notice to consumers noting the concerns.

Illinois EPA has coordinated this matter with the Illinois Department of Public Health, who in turn has worked with the McLean County Health Department. On August 24, the McLean County Health Department and Emergency Management Agency worked with a volunteer organization to obtain and provide bottled water for residents. The Agency will continue working with state and local officials to ensure the water consumers are kept informed of the situation and of any actions they need to take.

The Agency is requesting that the Attorney General's Office obtain a court order that would require Country Lane Mobile Home Park, LLC to:

• Continue to distribute bottled water to its consumers for drinking water purposes, until the source of the bacterial contamination is determined and bacteria free samples are obtained;
• Continue the boil order for consumers' other consumptive purposes until the source of the bacterial contamination is determined and bacteria free samples are obtained; and
• Begin continuous chlorination of the water produced and supplied to customers.