Water Notification From the City of Edwardsville
WATER NOTIFICATIONEdwardsville residents and business operators who are water utility customers will soon receive a notification in the mail that a type of PFAS was detected in a sample of the City’s untreated water. The City’s level of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) exceeded the Class 1 Groundwater Quality Standard recently adopted by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The analytical result detected a level of 8.4 ng/l (nanograms per liter), whereas the standard is 4 nanograms/liter.
That notice, along with detailed information about the City’s water supply, water treatment plant and processes, is also available for viewing now HERE (find the notification specifically in the Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) section).
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
While PFOA analytes were detected in a well field sample, that water is NOT what’s distributed to our customers for drinking, cooking and other uses. Additional samples show that the PFOA was NOT DETECTABLE in the water that had been filtered, disinfected and processed at our treatment plant for distribution into customers’ homes via our water mains. Our water treatment plant utilizes pressure carbon/sand filters that have been shown to be effective at removing some PFAS and other contaminants that may be found in untreated groundwater. The City is committed to providing safe drinking water to our residents and businesses, and to utilizing treatment processes and methods that minimize exposure to PFAS in our community water.
WHAT ARE PFAS
PFAS is the term used to refer to Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, which are part of a large group of human-made chemicals that have been in use since the 1940s. They were manufactured and utilized in cookware, food packaging, personal care products, clothing, furniture, firefighting foam and more for their oil- and water-resistant properties. Because PFAS are spread easily and break down very slowly, they are present throughout the environment -- soil, water and air. The Environmental Protection Agency refers to PFAS as "forever chemicals." Studies have linked the buildup of PFAS to potential health risks in humans.
CONTINUAL TESTING
The City’s water is regularly and continually tested for contaminants and to ensure quality. The City also specifically performs quarterly sampling for 18 different types of PFAS. The results of those samples are made available in a detailed Consumer Confidence Report on water quality. The most recent report, from 2024, is on the city’s water services webpage (specifically in the Consumer Confidence Report section).
WHAT CAN BE DONE ABOUT PFAS
In addition to water treatment processes underway by the City, there are steps that consumers can take to help reduce PFAS exposure. The IEPA offers guidance, including home filtration methods to consider and types of products to avoid, HERE.