A study done by the NRDC, which we covered in our last article that you can read HERE, found a massive quantity of violations regarding our drinking water. This in-depth report analyzed each state and found Illinois to be one of the top five states for larger populations with the most contaminated drinking water.
Illinois communities such as Berwyn, Lemont, Oak Lawn and Loves Park showed excessive violations while Chicago systems itself seemed compliant. Only compliant in certain regards, however, as it was determined that 80% of the Chicago water system still utilizes lead piping (lead is indeed a harmful substance we should not be ingesting frequently). While the EPA and states have been falling short on protecting our drinking water, the NRDC stated that the biggest failing is in the very law set to protect us. It’s extremely outdated and needs to be significantly updated to reflect current environment, chemicals and contamination levels.
With President Trump proposing even more cuts to the Environmental Protection Agency, the very agency that monitors our drinking water, we may find ourselves waiting too long for a proper solution.
