News Releases - 2003

Governor Ryan Announces $711,948 Grant To Bring Water To Private Well Owners in Unincorporated Downers Grove

Springfield, Ill. -- Governor George H. Ryan today announced that the village of Downers Grove will receive a grant of $711,948 to cover 70 percent of the cost of extending mains to carry municipal drinking water from Downers Grove to private well owners in the North Belmont Park Subdivision.

The project will provide an alternate source of water to this area of 56 homes that has been contaminated by industrial chemicals. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2003.

The project will include installing 1205 linear feet of 12-inch water main, 3608 linear feet of 8-inch water main, 270 linear feet of 6-inch water main. Work is scheduled for completion in March 2004.

"This grant is a culmination of the cooperative efforts between local officials and legislators, citizens and Illinois EPA to address this problem through the Governor's Action Team," said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano.

Access to an alternate water source became necessary after investigations disclosed that numerous private wells in the Downers Grove area had amounts of the potentially harmful chemicals trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachlorethylene (PCE), above the federal safe drinking water standard. Both are industrial de-greasers.

Since July 2001, Illinois EPA has tested over 500 private wells in unincorporated Downers Grove for the presence of the industrial chemicals. Of these, more than 200 exceeded the safe drinking water standard for one or both of the chemicals. The solvents were also detected in another 200 wells, but at lower levels. The North Belmont Park Subdivision is the only affected area without infrastructure in place.

The grant comes from Build Illinois funds. Downers Grove will be responsible for providing the remaining 30 percent of the total cost to extend these water mains.