Why Galesburg residents are getting a notice about a ‘forever chemical’ in raw water from unused wells
Residents in Galesburg, Illinois, are receiving a notice from the IEPA regarding elevated levels of PFOS in raw water from three unused city wells, with samples showing 15 ppt and 4.7 ppt, exceeding the state's groundwater standard of 4 ppt. While PFOS in finished water meets standards, finished water delivered to homes still exceeds the state standard for PFOA at 5.9 ppt, unchanged from 2025 sampling. The city plans to retire the affected wells, use one only for emergencies, and construct new, PFAS-free wells, aiming for compliance ahead of the 2029 deadline.
- Location
- Galesburg, Illinois
- Country
- 🇺🇸 USA
- Start
- Unknown
- End
- Ongoing
- Event type
- Chemical contamination, Limit exceeded
- Status
- Active
- Region
- Illinois
- Last updated
Timeline
- · Alert first recorded
- · Record last updated
What to do now
- 1Do not drink tap water, boiling does not remove chemicals.
- 2Use bottled water or verified alternative supply.
- 3Activated carbon or reverse osmosis filters can help, not every filter is suitable.
- 4Follow official guidance on showering and washing.
Sources
This summary was generated automatically. For binding information consult the linked source.
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Reverse osmosis BE WA3: against PFAS, pesticides and heavy metals
Cuts chemical loads such as PFAS, nitrate, lead and pesticides by up to 99 percent. Boiling does not help here.
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