Thursday, January 5, 2012

Rockford Investigates Mysterious Well Contamination

By: Duane Craig

Private water wells have been mysteriously contaminated with volatile organic chemicals in Rockford, Illinois, according to this report in WIFR.com. The area affected extends from the Cottonwood Airport east to Alliance Avenue, south to Auburn Street and North to the ends of Soper Avenue, North Johnston Avenue, Bond Avenue, North Day Avenue, North Horace Avenue, North Greenview Avenue, North Willard Avenue, North Burbank Avenue and Catbaugh Avenue.

Volatile organic chemicals contamination around Cottonwood Airport


The area also includes Parkside Avenue and Liberty Drive. The announcement came out August 2 and at that time there were two wells contaminated. On August 25, WIFR.com reported that environmental officials had done two additional tests and discovered four more contaminated samples. Two of those samples registered above the maximum allowed level.

In June, one resident complained of odor in the drinking water and that began the investigation. Historical records show that besides the airport there have been several gas stations near the neighborhood over the years, and to its east is a hardware manufacturer and importer/exporter as well as an assembly, packaging and warehousing operation. The Northwest Community Center has been in operation on Alliance Avenue since the late 40s, is housed in a 15,000 square foot building and has property taken in a land swap from a local manufacturing concern.

1 comment:

People Investigating Toxic Sites said...

The groundwater contamination in this Rockford, Illinois neighborhood may have been caused by old dumpsites in the area. Historically, quarries were often used as dumps (landfills) after the soil was mined. There was a quarry where Woodrow Wilson Junior High School now stands. Since many schools across the country were built on top of old dumpsites, I suggest doing property title searches of Woodrow Wilson Junior High School and the adjacent schools to help determine previous land-use.