Oak Forest Annual Drinking Water Quality Report Released

OAK FOREST, IL — The City of Oak Forest released its annual drinking water quality report for the year of 2020.

The purpose of the report is to provide residents with important information regarding their drinking water. The city also shows efforts that the Oak Forest water system has made to provide safe drinking water.

According to the report, the drinking water in Oak Forest is purchased lake surface water, bought from the Village of Oak Lawn. The Chicago water is received into Oak Forest's reservoirs, and then pumped into the city's local and retail customer base, according to the city.

Oak Forest said the water is chlorinated and sampled in order to maintain the needed quality that is required. The city said it does not supplement or mix water with other sources.

According to the annual report, Chicago's South Water Purification Plant controls the water quality that is supplied to Oak Forest. In turn, Oak Forest provides additional chlorine where it may be necessary.

The city tests the water supply for chlorine daily, and on a weekly basis, the city bacteriological samples are taken. According to the report, the city submits samples to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) four times a year, to see the levels of Trihalomethane (TTHM), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), along with lead and copper monitoring.

The samples were collected from April 2020 through December 2020 and submitted for Unregulated Contaminants. Here is the City of Chicago's 2020 Water Quality Data, which Oak Forest also receives, from the annual report:

• Bacterialogical samples: 0 Positive monthly sample.
• Lead/Copper results: 0 sample exceeding the 15 ppb / 0 exceeding the 1.3 ppm Action Level 90th Percentile – lead = 0.0 ppb / copper = 0.051 ppm

Disinfection/Disinfection By - Products
• TTHM report: No sample exceeding the 80 ppb MCL.
Highest level detected – 45 ppb
• HAA5 report: No sample exceeding the 60 ppb MCL.
Highest level detected – 18 ppb

Do you have questions? Further information regarding this report can be explained by the Oak Forest Water Department by calling 708-535-4090.

See the entire report on the city's website, or check it out below:

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