This week, the U.S. EPA updated residentsin the unincorporated town of Wedron about its next step to protect them from contaminated groundwater. Several private wells in this LaSalle County community have tested positive for elevated levels of benzene. Crews will begin work this month to install individual replacement wells at eight sites. For several months, affected homes have been relying on special filters provided by the EPA.
The Agency also plans to install five additional monitoring wells in Wedron to further define the extent of the contamination plume and help pinpoint potential sources.
And EPA officials say, as part of their investigation, they've reached consent agreements with several companies suspected of being the sources of the contamination.