Leaf River's water system shows 8 contaminants above independent health guidelines. Legal limits and health guidelines are two different lines. Both are shown below, with sources, along with what a water filtration system in Leaf River should actually address. Call (815) 420-4731.
All 8 of them, worst first, from Leaf River's own published tests. Tap any contaminant to see what it is, how it gets into the water, and what long-term exposure is linked to.
Long-term exposure: In infants under six months it interferes with the blood's ability to carry oxygen, which is the reason for the federal limit. Newer research associates long-term exposure well below that limit with colorectal cancer and thyroid effects.
Fertilizer and manure that ran off the fields and soaked down into the aquifer. This is farm country, so nitrate is the signature local contaminant. Levels climb in spring after application and after heavy rain.
Handled by: Reverse osmosis
Long-term exposure: Same concern as nitrate alone: oxygen transport in infants at high levels, and cancer and thyroid associations in long-term studies below the legal limit.
The combined measurement of both forms of the same farm runoff. Reported together because they convert back and forth in the body.
Handled by: Reverse osmosis
Long-term exposure: Associated with cancer risk in animal studies. It is one of the four counted in HAA9 but left out of the federally regulated HAA5.
A haloacetic acid the law does not track. Your utility can be in perfect compliance while this one runs at any level at all, because there is no number for it to exceed.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: Radium is radioactive. The body treats it like calcium, so it deposits in bone, and long-term exposure raises bone cancer risk.
Northern Illinois sits on a deep sandstone aquifer that is naturally radioactive. The radium comes up with the water. The federal limit of 5 picocuries per liter was set in 1976 and has not been revisited since.
Handled by: Water softener (EPA-recognized ion exchange), or reverse osmosis
Long-term exposure: The research behind EPA's own limit associates long-term elevated exposure with increased bladder cancer risk. Several studies also flag effects during pregnancy.
Nobody added this. TTHMs are the sum of four byproducts that form when the chlorine used to disinfect your water meets leaves, algae and other organic matter in the source. The disinfection is necessary. The byproducts are what it costs you.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: EPA classifies it as a possible human carcinogen; animal studies show liver damage at sustained exposure.
Another chlorine-plus-bromide byproduct. It travels with the other three, so where you find one you almost always find all four.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: The second major byproduct family. Long-term exposure is associated with increased cancer risk, and some studies flag developmental effects.
HAA5 is the sum of five haloacetic acids, formed the same way the trihalomethanes are. Federally capped at 60 parts per billion. The independent health guideline is 0.1.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: EPA classifies it as a probable human carcinogen, with liver and kidney effects at high sustained exposure.
The bromine-heaviest of the four trihalomethanes. It shows up when the source water carries more bromide, which deep Illinois wells often do.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Levels are the utility's own most recent published test results as compiled by the EWG Tap Water Database. "Times over" compares against EWG's independent health guideline, not the federal legal limit; this system meets federal limits.
Installed by a licensed Illinois plumber, tested at handoff, first year of care included. Pick one and change anything: the installed total follows you.
Sources: EWG Tap Water Database, Leaf River · Lead information for this utility · Illinois EPA Drinking Water Watch
Nearby: Mount Morris · Forreston · Stillman Valley · Davis Junction
The report is free, the call is 15 minutes, and nobody ever comes to your house to sell you. One licensed crew. A limited number of installs each month.