Cleanup Costs Not Cheap
The lawsuits aim to defer whats potentially very expensive fixes to water systems.
We dont have to have this burden borne by our taxpayers, said former Crest Hill City Administrator Heather McGuire. We want to make sure this gets corrected.
Some states, including Michigan, also have sued the manufacturers. A DuPont spokesman said the complaints have no merit and will be defended vigorously. A 3M spokesman said the company wants to work with communities on a collaborative path forward.
That potential cleanup bill is concerning to a number of municipal water officials.
It costs a lot to do plant improvements, said John Gulledge, water plant chief at Lake Forest. Our level is still low. Im interested to see what kinds of guidelines the state would give for removal.
Like every other water system official interviewed, Gulledge said he had no idea where the contamination may have occurred.
Its a bit of a new adventure, he said.
Brett Chases reporting on the environment and public health is made possible by a grant from The Chicago Community Trust.
Why Is Florida Tap Water So Bad
Contaminants that make Florida tap water taste icky
This is an ion in chlorine, which municipalities use often used to disinfect water. Instead of chloride, some areas use chloramine, a combination of chlorine and ammonia. Regardless, chloride gives water a salty taste. Chloramine gives water a bleachy taste.
Is Public Transportation In Chicago Safe
Being a major city, there is a lot in terms of public transport on offer in Chicago.
There is a wide-ranging network of buses, trains, public bikes and boats that make up its public transportation network, allowing you to travel around top destinations, the suburbs, and outside city limits.
Buses are not quite as quick as the train as it has Chicagos notorious traffic to contend with. But on the plus side, it can take you to destinations that are not served by the train network. There are more than 100 bus routes that weave in and around Chicago these run from early in the morning until late in the evening.
More information on the Chicago buses and their routes on the Chicago Transit Authority website: transitchicago.com.
Whilst riding on the buses in Chicago is safe, it is recommended if you are alone on the bus at night to sit up front near the driver at any time of day, keep your belongings close to you as pickpocketing can occur.
Then there is the icon that is the L Train. Known simply as the L short for Elevated Rail this train network will get you safely and conveniently around the major sights of the city on a 24/7 schedule.
After the L, there is the Metra, which is a commuter service with 12 routes serving Chicagos suburbs it runs from four terminals located around the Loop.
Though meant for commuters more than anything else, there are some sights that you can reach via using the Metra service go to metrarail.com for more routes and how to use the service.
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What Steps Is The City Of Chicago Taking To Ensure Safe Drinking Water For The Community
Recent research conducted between 2015 and 2020 has revealed that Chicago has more lead water pipes than any other American city. In fact, Chicago currently counts approximately 380,000 lead serviced lines.
At the end of 2020, city officials stepped up for the first time and announced a two-step program to replace these lines. Based on this new program, homeowners that are eligible will be able to receive funding for the replacement of their water pipes. A water kit will typically be shipped to them so that they can measure the levels of lead present in their tap water. The citys department of water management will also take samples and send them to certified labs for assessment.
Based on the results, the pipes will then be replaced for free.
The main issue with this initiative, though, is its slow rollout. Indeed, the new law gives officials 50 years to replace all of the lead-affected service lines.
Studies have also shown that Chicago has some of the highest levels of chromium in the country. Companies such as US Steel use it as a coolant for their operation, and most of it, unfortunately, ends up in Lake Michigan.
Unfortunately, there are currently no guidelines regarding safe levels of chromium-6 in the water as explained in our article called What is Chromium-6 and how to remove it from your drinking water?.
What Is In Chicago Tap Water And Who Regulates It
Both the EPA and the Chicago Department of Water Management stress that Chicagos water is safe to drink. Most of the year the water tastes great but there may be some seasonalities. While harmless health-wise, algae, in the hotter months, can give the water an unpleasant rotting moss sort of flavor.
Despite EPAs and CDWMs assurances tests often find lead as well as pesticide and manufacturing residues in it. According to the Chicago Tribune, nine water systems in the Chicago region exceeded EPA standards for lead in 2016. Most of the lead comes from older house and street piping systems.
It was also recently confirmed that 1 out of 5 homes with water meters sampled had brain-damaging levels of lead in their tap water.
EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believe there is no safe level of lead exposure. Lead is harmful to health, especially for children. While paint, dust, and soil are the most common sources of lead, drinking water can contribute 40 to 60 percent of an infants lead exposure.
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Is Chicago Safe To Visit Right Now
Chicago is a big city, made up of 77 communities, covering 234 square miles and is generally safe to visit. It definitely has had its fair share of headline-grabbing crime, but in recent years its high murder rate has reportedly dropped.
It is definitely becoming a safer city, with other crimes showing lower numbers as well. The drop in crime goes hand in hand with the dramatic increase of tourists to the city.
Even though there have been highly publicized crime rates, it is a policy of the mayor to promote tourism in Chicago. Tourism is important, generating thousands of jobs for Chicago citizens plus revenue for the city and help make it one of the most popular cities for tourists in America.
Many regarded Chicago as one of the most dangerous cities in America.
However, Chicago is a city of two halves: one is the vibrant metropolis with its museums, parks and amazing dining scene the other is much poorer and affected by crime and gangs.
As a tourist visiting Chicago now as much as any time you would have visited it is likely that you wont be going to the Chicago neighborhoods with the highest crime rates.
In short, it is safe to visit Chicago right now.
Is Chicago Tap Water Safe
No, tap water in Chicago is still not completely state. Although the water management board in Chicago have improved their water purification process to meet the EPAs standards, theres still an issue of lead contamination hurting the people in Chicago city.
You see, the people of Chicago installed lead lines in their homes until 1986. There are almost 4,00,000 houses in Chicago city that still use those lead lines. When purified water from the plant passes through those lines to the houses, it gets contaminated with lead.
The City of Chicago has emphasized making people aware of lead contamination. They understand, until all those lead lines are replaced, tap water in Chicago will not be safe. For this reason, they have launched the lead service Line Replacement Program. Under this program, they are testing water for lead-free cost. They are offering free lead service line replacement to low-income homeowners. You can from the dept. of water management.
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What Is Mayor Lightfoot’s New Plan
The mayor estimates the plan will cost $8.5 billion and require “multiple decades” to complete, according to city documents.
Lightfoot announced “phase one” of the plan, which is broken down into three parts. The first part will allow low-income residents with proven high levels of lead in their water to apply for free lead service line replacements. These will be paid for through Community Development Block Grants, and the city will start accepting applications for the work at the end of the year, according to officials in the mayor’s office.
The second part of the plan will offer residents who pay to get their service lines replaced a discount on the work by waiving some city permit fees required for this type of work. Lightfoot said the fee waivers could save homeowners up to $3,100 on a job that, in other cities like Newark, N.J., has cost between $5,000 and $10,000 per home. The mayor will introduce legislation to allow the waivers later this year. If the legislation passes, homeowners will be able to apply for the waivers early next year.
Crews work in Gary, Ind., to remove old lead water lines as part of a program that will be paid for by all Indiana American Water ratepayers. Monica Eng/WBEZhide caption
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Is Tap Water In Chicago Safe To Drink
I moved from LA and water there is toxic. I was just wondering how clean it is here and if you had any sources.
Any problems with your tap water are more than likely going to be due to old, nasty, galvanized steel pipes in your building. Lake Michigan is a very good source of water and the water plants around the area are top notch.
tap water in the city and lots of the suburbs is Lake Michigan water. It’s wonderful. Good enough to brew with, good enough to drink.
good to know! Thank you!
I know! It taste great here. Also, NYC tap water is delicious
Not only is the water great, but also our water filtration plant is the largest in the world.
Jardine Water Purification Plant:
The Jardine Water Purification Plant, formerly the Central District Filtration Plant, is the largest capacity water filtration plant in the world, located at 1000 E. Ohio Street north of Navy Pier in Chicago, Illinois. It draws raw water from two of the city’s water cribs far offshore in Lake Michigan and sends nearly one billion gallons of water per day to consumers in the north and central portions of the city. Constructed in the 1960s, it began functioning in 1968. Shortly thereafter the Ohio Street Beach formed in the bay created by the plant. Landscaping around the plant and in the adjoining Milton Olive Park was designed by Dan Kiley, and a statue, Hymn to Water, by Milton Horn graces the front entrance.
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Advocating For Children And Their Caretakers
Daycare provider
I live in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood, where I have been a licensed childcare provider for 14 years. I provide childcare services out of my home. We are licensed by the Department of Children & Family Services , and we need to renew every three years. In 2018, I had to renew my license and there was a new requirement to test my water for lead. Thats when I started to learn more about this issue. I had already been involved with Elevate, a nonprofit based in Chicago that offers training and classes for home childcare providers. I had learned how to test for lead, so I was ready. But many of the other providersthere are thousands in the state of Illinoiswere not so lucky. There was very little information provided to people.
I decided to work with Elevate to train providers because the DCFS did not have anything planned. I have a network of more than 400 providers. The training takes four hours and teaches you everything step by step. What is lead? How is lead present in your home? What are the harmful effects of lead on children?
It is a requirement from DCFS that once you receive your results from the lab, you need to share them with the families. It is also an opportunity to educate families to test for lead themselves because this is not just a problem that affects childcare providers. Even if a providers home is safe, what if a child has high levels of lead in their own home?
Macias with some of the children she cares for at her daycare center
Where Does Nyc Water Come From
New York City gets its drinking water from 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes spread across a nearly 2,000-square-mile watershed. The watershed is located upstate in portions of the Hudson Valley and Catskill Mountains that are as far as 125 miles north of the City. Learn more about our Water Supply System.
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How Do I Know If My Tap Water Is Safe
Each year by July 1, you should receive an annual water quality report in the mail from your water supplier, telling you where your water comes from and whats in it. Additionally, the EPA has the authority to monitor all public water systems and set enforceable health standards regarding the contaminants in drinking water.
Although the agencys supervision doesnt necessarily guarantee your water is free of all contaminants, it does ensure that the contaminants dont pose any serious health risk. If there is a violation of standards, or the water supply becomes contaminated by something that can cause immediate illness, your supplier is required to promptly inform you and offer alternative suggestions for safe drinking water.
You can find the name, address, and phone number for your water system by browsing the list of systems in your state on the EPA website. Additionally, any community water system that serves more than 100,000 people is required to make its Consumer Confidence Report available on a publicly accessible website.
Still Have Questions About Chicago Tap Water
Hydroviv is a water filtration company that uses water quality data to optimize water filters for each citys water. The Chicago water pollution issues that we list above are what we consider to be points of emphasis so we can design and build the best water filter for Chicago tap water, but all of our water filters provide broad protection against other contaminants commonly found in drinking water . If youre interested in learning more about water filters that have been optimized for Chicago’s drinking water problems, feel free to visit www.hydroviv.com, reach out by email or through our live chat. We also frequently post water-related news on or .
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