Raid on Chicago suburb in tainted water case

May 2009

U.S. Water News Online

CRESTWOOD, Ill. — Authorities have raided the government offices in a Chicago suburb accused of knowingly drawing drinking water from a contaminated well for more than two decades.

A spokeswoman for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says 15 agents from the EPA and from other agencies entered the Crestwood offices recently.

Spokeswoman Anne Rowan said they produced search warrants related to the tainted-water allegations. They've entered the village hall and public works department.

The Chicago Tribune recently reported Crestwood officials covered up the presence of chemicals in the water. It alleged state officials in the 1980s found the well contained chemicals linked to cancer, but village officials allegedly kept drawing the water.

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