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Annual Compliance Report Shows Good Drinking Water Numbers Continue To Rise

Springfield, Ill. -- During 2001, 98 percent of consumers served by Illinois community water supplies received water that met all requirements that protect against short-term health effects, according to a new report by Illinois EPA to the U.S. EPA.

The annual report required by the federal Safe Drinking Water Act also showed 94 percent of consumers received water in compliance with all requirements that protect against long-term health effects. Overall, 93.3 percent of consumers received water that was compliant with all health protective requirements-that is, water free of contaminants with the potential to cause either short term or long term health impacts.

This figure was a slight increase (0.14 percent) over the previous year, indicating that the Agency is still on track to meet its performance goal of having, by 2005, more than 95 percent of all community water supply consumers receiving drinking water that meets all health protective requirements.

"This report underscores our commitment to seeing that people who rely on community water supplies for their everyday water needs can be confident that the water flowing from their taps is safe for them and their families now and in the future," said IEPA Director Renee Cipriano

In Illinois, the IEPA has primary responsibility for overseeing compliance by community water supplies that provide drinking water to 25 or more residents year round. Several other categories of water supplies serving such populations as day care centers, schools, factories, campgrounds and highway rest stops are regulated by the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Most violations involve exceeding federal and state allowable maximum contaminant levels, or MCLs. In the case of lead and copper, compliance is determined by an "action level" that requires 90 percent of the samples collected in consumers homes to meet the action level. Failure to monitor for any regulated contaminant, or to make required public notice in the case of exceedences are violations in themselves. During 2001, a total of 1,759 water supplies serving 99 percent of the state's population, were below the lead action level.

In most cases where contaminant levels exceed MCLs, non-compliance is a short term situation because treatment is quickly adjusted once a violation is identified, and most supplies quickly return to the required ranges maximum contaminant level.

Copies of the summary or complete annual water system compliance reports,can be obtained by contacting the Illinois EPA's Division of Public Water Supplies, #13, P.O. Box 9276, Springfield, IL 62794-9276.