University Park mayor wants water rights back from Aqua Illinois after high nitrate levels detected

UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. (WLS) -- Residents in the village of University Park have been dealing with water problems for years.

They blame a private utility that supplies water in this area and, once again, is providing free bottled water.

ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch

From the dogs to cooking to her array of beverage machines, Donna Bell uses bottled water for everything in her house, except bathing, despite paying big water bills every month.

"And I have a water flosser to do my teeth with, and I put bottled water in it, because I don't trust it," Bell said.

The University Park resident does not trust water supplied by Aqua Illinois. Bell and others have been using bottled water since lead was discovered in 2019. And now, there is a new problem.

SEE ALSO | University Park residents still using bottled water 4 years after lead found in drinking water

The private water supplier is handing out free bottled water again in University Park after high levels of nitrates were detected following large rainfalls in the Kankakee River. Peotone and parts of Kankakee are also being impacted.

"We saw runoff from spring agricultural fertilization getting into the river, which elevates nitrates in the river," said Aqua Illinois President David Carter.

Aqua Illinois says infants under the age of 6 months should not use the water. But given the history of the water, many adults refuse to risk it.

"It's really unacceptable. We should have had good water all this time," said resident William Holloway.

The village sold its water rights to Aqua Illinois decades ago, well before Jospeh Roudez III became mayor.

READ MORE | High iron levels make yellow, orange, foul-tasting water for residents for north suburban residents

"We need control of our system. It's never going to change," Roudez said.

The mayor told residents on Monday morning that he is making an effort to buy the water back, which, Roudez admits, could cost millions of dollars, funds the village does not have.

"My ask of the company is to come to the table and give us the opportunity to purchase back the water rights," Roudez said.

Carter strongly doubts that will ever happen. Despite the lack of trust from residents, he insists his company is a strong advocate for clean water.

"We hear the mayor's concerns. We hear the residents' concerns. We take them very seriously," Carter said.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said it has been "working closely with representatives from Aqua Illinois following the Nitrate detection above the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in the Kankakee River."

"Current raw nitrate levels from the river are at 8.8 mg/L," the Illinois EPA said on Monday.

Illinois EPA said it "will continue to work with Aqua to monitor water quality, ensure drinking water is available for the duration of the Alert, and determine when the notice should be lifted. Currently, it appears raw nitrate has stabilized and nitrates in the distribution system have begun a downward trend."

Aqua Illinois says the problem is likely to be solved within a day or two. In the meantime, the mayor has reached out to Illinois' governor and attorney general to seek their help in trying to buy the water back.

SEE ALSO | Customers fight Illinois American, Aqua Illinois rate hike request, say water bills already too high