1. I am confused. People in town are saying there is lead in our tap water but the city of Sycamore has denied there is a problem. Who do I believe?

The city of Sycamore has been asked by the IEPA to monitor lead levels every six months instead of every three years because of elevated lead levels in some samples of water. Despite this finding, the city continues to meet the EPA's lead and copper rule standard. Does this mean that the tap water is safe to drink in Sycamore?

This is an excerpt from the EPA’s Region 5 memo dated 12/29/2017 on guidance on the Lead and Copper Rule.

“There is a perception among states, cities, public utilities, elected representatives, and other decision makers that appropriate implementation of the existing LCR will adequately protect the public from lead in drinking water. Based on lessons learned in the communities identified above about the actual levels of lead in drinking water, we do not believe that will always be the case. Proper implementation of and compliance with the LCR may not provide certainty that the public is protected from elevated levels of lead, particularly in communities with lead service lines (LSLs) and particularly with regard to susceptible populations such as young children. This is illustrated by recent examples from Region 5. In Flint and East Chicago, there were exposure to elevated lead levels, and the levels went undetected, notwithstanding the implementation of or compliance with the LCR in those communities.

2. Should I be having my water tested then?

You certainly can, but be aware that lead levels fluctuate and just because you get a negative test, does not mean you will not have lead in your water tomorrow. We know that dozens of citizens in Sycamore have received results of high lead levels, so even if your test is normal, you are not safe from the risk of lead poisoning. If money is tight, we would rather citizens use the money to purchase counter top or faucet filters, NSF certified at 42 & 53 and use it for all drinking and cooking water.

Please see the same EPA memo on this topic:

“Data indicate that lead contribution from residential plumbing does not occur at a predictable and stable rate. Observations in Flint, East Chicago and many other communities make clear that there can be low levels of lead at a given residence on one day, and high lead at the same residence the next day or week or month. ……Sporadic high lead levels are often the result of particulate lead. Such a particle may contain thousands to tens of thousands of ppb lead, which in extreme cases can result in acute lead exposure for a child from a single glass of water “

3. I have heard there are different ways of testing water, if I do have my water tested, how should it be done?

The home’s faucets, showers, washing machines should be used as usual leading up to the time of testing. Then the plumbing throughout the home should not be used for a period of 6 hours (usually overnight). No toilets should be flushed or water run for 6 hours. Then the specimen should be collected, preferably from the kitchen or bathroom faucet.

Do not remove faucet aerators prior to testing.

Collect the first liter of water in a WIDE MOUTH container.

With another liter container, continue to measure out liters as they come out of the faucet and collect another specimen between the 5th and 8th liter of water to flow from the faucet. This tends to be where peak lead levels are measured. Samples that only collect the first liter of water may be missing peak levels.

See the EPA memo in “documents” on this site for more details and data on this if interested

4. What harms can come to children from lead exposure?

Lead is poisonous to humans at any level. It accumulates in the tissues of the body, especially the brain and bones. In developing children it can result in loss of IQ, behavioral issues such as ADHD, mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, as well as increase the risks of cancers and neurological problems.

Exposure to lead in pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage and prematurity in the infant. Additionally, lead exposure can affect the developing baby’s brain, kidneys, and nervous system resulting in learning and behavior problems in childhood and beyond.

See The Loyola and _____________ in “documents on this website.

5. What harms can come to adults from lead exposure?

Lead exposure in adults can cause high blood pressure, brain, kidney and reproductive health issues. Symptoms of lead poisoning include headaches, stomach cramps, constipation, muscle/joint pain, trouble sleeping, fatigue, irritability, and loss of sex drive. Most adults with lead poisoning don't look or feel sick.

6. What are the potential water borne diseases that can result from low chlorine levels?

Cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium)

Cyclosporiasis (Cyclospora spp.)

Escherichia coli O157:H7 Infection

Giardiasis (Giardia)

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

Legionellosis (Legionella)

One of the biggest concerns is Legionella. It flourishes in warm temps associated with summer months and a water distribution system with too little chlorine is a ripe environment for this bacteria to grow. This occurred in Flint, MI and resulted in at least 18 deaths though many more deaths misdiagnosed as pneumonia were likely related.

What can we do to protect ourselves and our families! This is very scary!

We recommend NSF certified filtration of 42&53 with countertop pitchers or faucet filters. Look for the NSF certification and the numbers provided here on the package. For reverse osmosis systems, use NSF certified 58 filters.

Please see the EPA memo on this topic:

“When properly used and maintained, filters are an effective and immediate response to elevated or uncertain levels of lead in dinking water. Based on our experience in Flint, Region 5 considers filters to be a valuable tool to protect public health.”

7. Do the filters protect us against bacteria and viruses in the water from low chlorine levels also?

No. The filters will take out the lead in the water but they will not remove bacteria and viruses. The only thing that an individual citizen can do about this issue is a UV light system that kills bacteria and viruses in the water. These run 1000 dollars or more. This is why the city MUST replace the aging and deteriorated delivery system that consumes the chlorine in the water.

Also, drinking the water is not the only risk. Inhalation of the water mist during showering and absorption though the skin are additional routes of transmission of diseases. Legionella in particular is inhaled, not ingested

8. I see the city is doing a lot of work this spring and summer, are they fixing the problem?

The city is replacing lead service lines to individual homes as a result of a law passed by Gov Pritzker requiring all lead service lines to be replaced throughout the state. This is an important step to improve lead levels in water, but during the construction the problem will likely worsen as lead particles will be jarred and may become loose with all the work being done. Even if your home is not being worked on, if you live in the immediate area where work is being completed, you MUST filter for many months after the construction. No safe period of time to stop filtering has been established.

9. What happened with the class action lawsuit? I thought that was going to resolve all of this!

The case is not unique to Sycamore, cities all over the Midwest are experiencing similar issues. Unfortunately, it is going to take a lot of time and money to resolve all of the issues that lead to lead in our water. The lawsuit accomplished a lot in that it required an outside company to start doing testing. This is how we found out about the chlorine issue which had never been disclosed by the city. In the lawsuit we asked for much more in term of spending by the city and even had asked for an outside consultant who has more expertise in this issue to take over the Sycamore Water Department to get the changes implemented to make our water safe. The judge in the case disagreed with this request and so we had to settle for far less than we had hoped, on the advice of our attorneys. However, this is just the first step in the attempt to hold the city accountable and to make changes that will give us confidence that our water is safe. We will continue to use our voice to bring attention to the problem and to educate the public. You can join with us to ask the city to do the following:

Exhaust all avenues of state and federal funding to replace our aging and deteriorated water distribution system. Tax payors should not have to foot the bill. The city should be applying for every grant and loan available and to date they have done so.

Use the power of the city to EDUCATE all citizens about the danger and risk, instead of denying, or deflecting the blame back on homeowners

Make a 5 year plan to replace all water delivery infrastructure in the old sections of town vs the 75 year plan they have now.

10. What can I do to help?

a. Filter First!! Protect yourself and your loved ones

b. Spread the word to neighbors, family and friends. Help to Educate them.

c. Join our Facebook group – Citizens for Clean Water Sycamore

d. Put a sign in your yard! (Send us a request and we will get you one)

e. Write and call your city alderman – if you are not sure who it is, look at the city of Sycamore website.

f. Watch for announcements of when we need your presence at a city council meeting