Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill Aug. 23 requiring public notification if municipal water is contaminated, ABC Chicago WLS-TV reported. The law, which also makes providing false information to environmental officials a felony, aims to prevent future incidents like the contamination discovered earlier in 2009 in Crestwood, Ill.
Officials in Crestwood told residents for years that all their water came from Lake Michigan, when records showed that Crestwood was mixing its lake water with water from a well contaminated with a known carcinogen.
The law will require water suppliers to notify customers if tests reveal any contamination in their water supply, the television station reported. It also requires more detailed record keeping and provides stronger criminal sanctions if water suppliers do not keep customers informed.
Source: ABC 7 Chicago WLS-TV