Illinois EPA Notifies Green Meadow Estates of Rockford LLC Drinking Water Supply of Right to Know Requirements

Springfield, IL - The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA) has notified the Green Meadow Estates of Rockford LLC Community Water Supply that there has been a confirmed detection of groundwater contamination that poses a threat of exposure to the public above the Class I groundwater quality standards. This notification is required under Section 25d-3(a) of the Environmental Protection Act [415 ILCS 5/25d-3(a)].

Green Meadow Estates consists of 377 direct services, supplying drinking water to an estimated 970 individuals. This community water system, formerly known as Gem Suburban Mobile Home Park, has had a long history of low-level groundwater contamination by volatile organic compounds going back to the mid-1980s. There was a well-centric Right-to-Know notification done in 2010 pursuant to 415 ILCS 55/9.1:  http://www.idph.state.il.us/public/press10/3.23.10GEM_WaterWell.htm.

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a carcinogen VOC, has been confirmed at the entry point to the distribution system to Green Meadow Estates at 2.5 parts per billion (ppb). This level does not exceed the Class I groundwater quality standard (maximum contaminant level or MCL) for TCE of 5.0 ppb that Federal Law allows in drinking water. However, the Right-to-Know provision of the Environmental Protection Act is more protective, requiring the public be notified if such compounds are detected in their drinking water at a concentration that equals or exceeds 50 percent of the Class I groundwater quality standard. The MCL prevention standard, can be found under Section 17.10 of the Environmental Protection Act [415 ILCS 5/17.10]), also requires treatment or an alternative drinking water source be provided.

The Environmental Protection Act requires the water supply, and any secondary users, to provide notification to its customers of this contamination by mail, email, post card, text message or telephone, within five business days of official receipt of the Illinois EPA's notice. The public drinking water supply must provide the Illinois EPA with written proof of the notifications within seven calendar days after they are sent.

This press release and other appropriate notifications will be posted on the Agency website at: http://www.epa.illinois.gov/topics/drinking-water/public-water-users/notices/index. A frequently asked questions factsheet for TCE can be found on the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) website at:  https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaqs/tfacts19.pdf. Some people who ingest water contaminated with TCE over long periods of time can experience adverse health effects.