Contaminants found IN Woodstock City water

Reports this morning about contaminants in Woodstock "area" water, as reported in the Chicago Tribune and the Northwest Herald, did not disclose in a manner easily understood by the general population that the contaminants were found IN City of Woodstock water. The direction to test water if residents get their drinking water from private wells was followed by an explanation that the contaminants were found during routine testing of "Woodstock's community water supply wells".

Click on the map once or twice to enlarge it; then click on the Back button on your browser to come back here.

Well, folks, if you live in Woodstock and use City water (not from a private well), then you are drinking water in which the contaminants were found. How many members of the public, after reading a warning to test water if you drink from private wells, will worry after reading the term "community water supply wells"?

Did you know what a "community water supply well" was?

Thecontaminants tested below levels dangerous to your health. There; does that make you feel better?

The Illinois Department of Public Health says that no violations of State or federal drinking water standards have occurred in the City's water supply. So, don't worry, folks. Your water is safe. Sorry, but the Village of Ringwood and its water problems aren't all that far away, either geographically or in memory.

Care to read about cis-1,2-dichloroethene? One reader of the Northwest Herald had done so by 11:30AM and posted Wikipedia's explanation as a comment.

A Groundwater Protection Specialist at the Environmental Health Division of the McHenry County Department of Health was very generous with her time late this morning to provide information to me. She explained that the contaminants were found, as the press release states, in water of the City of Woodstock. The purpose of the alert was to warn area residents who drink water from wells to test the water.

The press release and map of the Woodstock Notification Area is expected to be posted on the the Department's website this afternoon. Visit http://co.mchenry.il.us/departments/health/  You may find it by clicking on the "Alerts" button, or you may have to weave your way through the site via "Environmental Health" on the left-side menu.