Infants are at high risk of death or illness from drinking water contaminated with farm fertilizers, a private utility that serves tens of thousands of residents south of Chicago is warning.
Recent rains combined with spring agricultural fertilization increased nitrate levels in the Kankakee River that can be harmful to infants under six months and can cause death if not treated, the private water utility Aqua Illinois said in an alert.
The increased nitrate levels affect dozens of communities, including customers served by the Kankakee Water Treatment Plant, including Kankakee, University Park and Peotone, officials said. In all, about 111,000 people mostly in Will and Kankakee counties are affected.
Pregnant women and residents with health issues are encouraged to contact their doctors about the nitrate exposure.
“Recent rainfall combined with spring agricultural fertilization resulted in an unprecedented increase in nitrate levels in the Kankakee River,” Aqua Illinois said in a statement to the Sun-Times.
Nitrogen fertilizers are widely used in farming to help the growth of crops. Water sampling results completed Saturday revealed nitrate levels of 11.9 milligrams per liter, which exceed safe guidelines, the company said.
Water, juice, and formula for children under 6 months old shouldn’t be prepared with tap water, according to the alert. Bottled water or other water low in nitrate should be used for infants until further notice.
The warning is not a boil order. Boiling tap water can increase concentration of nitrate levels, the utility warned.
Bottled water will be available for families with infants for the duration of the alert from noon to 7 p.m. daily at 1000 S. Schuyler Ave. in Kankakee, 1737 E. Amberstone Rd. in Manteno and 24650 S. Western Ave. in University Park.
The increased nitrate levels come months after Aqua Illinois customers saw an increase in their bills.
Amid a nearly yearlong stretch of court battles and fierce public opposition, Aqua Illinois argued that the increase was “necessary to recover costs from upgrading water systems to ensure safe water delivery.”
“In the six years since our last rate increase, we made significant upgrades to water and wastewater facilities and infrastructure across Illinois,” the company said in a statement to Capitol News Illinois in November 2024. “This rate decision highlights Aqua’s commitment to aggressively invest in infrastructure to improve service and reliability for our customers.”
Jim Chilsen, director of communications for advocacy group Citizens Utility Board, said state law should be revised to rein in private operators, such as Aqua Illinois, when they propose raising customer rates.
“We’re concerned for Aqua customers’ safety, and we will continue to advocate for affordability reforms,” Chilsen said.
University Park, one of the villages affected by the alert, has a history of contaminated drinking water provided by Aqua Illinois.
In 2017, Aqua Illinois switched the source of University Park’s drinking water from groundwater wells to the Kankakee River.
In June 2019, elevated levels of lead in the public water system’s drinking water were detected, which led to a series of corrective actions taken as part of an agreement with the state.
The agreement, known as a consent order, is still in effect, said Kim Biggs, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.
The Illinois EPA is working with Aqua Illinois on the contamination, she said.
“It’s extremely frustrating, and people will never trust Aqua water again,” University Park Mayor Joseph Roudez III told ABC7Chicago.
“If they’re really concerned about people, give us the opportunity to buy the water back,” the mayor said referring to his municipality taking control of the drinking water system.