Right-to-Know
The 2009
Right-to-Know law requires that the owner/operator of the community
water supply notify all users of the supply when water is contaminated
or there is a threat of contamination. This is addition to the current
Illinois law, which requires the Illinois EPA to notify water supply
owners and operators of contamination. The bill also establishes a monetary
penalty and makes providing false information to environmental enforcement
officials a felony under state law.
The 2006
Right-to-Know law requires Illinois EPA to notify citizens when contamination
in soil or groundwater that poses a threat of exposure to the public
is found. The Right-to-Know notifications will include information
about the contaminant, a description of the potential adverse health
effects, and a recommendation that water wells be tested. The method
of notification may include one or more of the following: personal
notification, such as letters mailed to individual well owners, public
meetings, signs, or notices in local newspapers. The Right-to-Know
fact sheet contains additional information about the law and the
notifications.
The 2002
Illinois’ Right-to-Know law (Please
see 415 ILCS 55/9.1 regarding Notification of actual or potential contamination.) requires the Illinois
Department of Public Health to alert private well users to groundwater
contamination that may threaten their wells. The notices occur when groundwater
contamination is detected in public water supply wells at levels determined
by Illinois EPA to be a threat to private well users in the vicinity. This
would not necessarily constitute a threat to the public water supply.
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