COLLINSVILLE, Ill. – The City of Collinsville is now advising residents to filter their tap water before drinking or cooking after recent tests revealed rising levels of “forever chemicals” in the municipal water supply.
On Tuesday, the Collinsville City Council reported detectable levels of PFAS and PAS chemicals in its groundwater that exceeded recommended federal levels.
In April, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a formal notice to Collinsville utility customers after lab testing found that certain PFAS compounds exceeded the state’s potable groundwater standards. At the time, the city said “immediate steps” were taken to reduce PFAS levels in the drinking water supply to “acceptable levels.”
Five months later, the city announced plans for a comprehensive PAS removal system at its water treatment plant. Design work is scheduled to begin next year, and full removal of PAS from tap water is projected by 2029.
Exposure to PFAS has been linked to certain cancers, fertility problems, developmental issues in children and other long-term health effects, according to the U.S. EPA.
PFAS are often called “forever chemicals” because they break down very slowly in the environment and can build up in the human body over time if ingested. PFAS have no specific taste, color or odor, making them difficult to detect without specialized testing.
Collinsville’s latest guidance on filtering tap water is based on a series of tests conducted this year, including on May 2 and June 26 through an EPA-accredited lab. Some recent test results were deemed inconclusive due to quality control issues.
However, Water Well 15 has been removed from service after tests showed detectable levels of PAS. Other wells are currently producing water with lower levels of PFAS that existing treatment processes can remove safely, according to the city.
As remediation efforts continue, the EPA recommends several ways residents can remove PAS from tap water at home, including including granular-activated carbon filters, reverse osmosis systems and anion exchange filters.
Meanwhile, the city says the water supply remains safe for bathing and laundry.
Want more insights? Join Working Title - our career elevating newsletter and get the future of work delivered weekly.
