"Water Testing Finds High Lead Levels In Communities Across Illinois"

"Alarmed by chronic problems with lead-contaminated water in downstate Galesburg, federal officials are urging local officials to provide bottled water or filters to residents where testing at household taps found high levels of the toxic metal.

Though the small Knox County city stands out for repeatedly exceeding U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lead standards, a Tribune analysis of state data has identified about 170 other public water systems in Illinois — serving about 700,000 people in all — where test results exceeded federal standards during at least one year since 2004.

In the Chicago region, nine water systems exceeded the EPA standard at least twice during the same time period, including Berwyn and Forest View in Cook County, York Township in DuPage County, and Barrington and Volo in Lake County."

Michael Hawthorne and Jennifer Smith Richards report for the Chicago Tribune May 12, 2016.