Bolingbrook, in Will County, receives its drinking water from the IL AMERICAN-WEST SUBURBAN system, which serves nearly 74,000 people through more than 22,500 connections. This system uses surface water sources treated with multiple processes designed to ensure safe and quality water reaches residential taps.
How should you judge treatment capacity against your household's daily demand?
When considering treatment for lead, it's important to match the capacity of any filtering system to your household's total daily water use. Water demand includes all tap uses such as drinking, cooking, bathing, and laundry. Estimating daily gallons consumed helps determine whether a lead filter can effectively manage the volume without frequent replacement or reduced flow.
Without knowing your own water consumption, it’s difficult to select an adequate treatment device. Start by measuring typical use over several days or weeks, including all faucets serving drinking and cooking needs.
Which faucets, appliances, or water uses tend to be affected first by lead concerns?
Lead often enters water through household plumbing materials rather than from the public supply. Therefore, lead exposure is most relevant at taps used for drinking and cooking. Kitchen sinks, water dispensers, and any faucet connected to refrigerators or ice makers are critical points. Showers and washing machines usually pose less risk since water is not ingested.
How many samples and sources support the lead data for this area, and what does a small sample size imply?
The public water system’s lead 90th percentile measured at 0 mg/L is based on samples collected through compliance monitoring of the distribution system, which reflects the plumbing environment but not the source water directly. This data comes from a representative sampling program mandated by the EPA. Although the sample size is sufficient to identify general trends, it does not guarantee the condition of any specific home’s water.
What do 'detected', 'median', and 'range' mean in the lead sampling data for Bolingbrook?
In lead testing, 'detected' means the instrument measured some lead in at least one sample; it does not imply a violation or unsafe level. The 'median' represents the middle point of measurements, while the 'range' shows the lowest to highest detected values in samples. For Bolingbrook’s system, the lead 90th percentile being 0 mg/L means that 90% of samples had no detectable lead, indicating excellent control at the distribution scale but not individual homes.
What steps should you take first to understand your home's lead level before seeking specialized treatment?
Begin with simple, low-cost checks: flush taps by running water for several minutes before use, use cold water for cooking and drinking, and avoid water that has sat in pipes for long periods. If concerns remain, certified laboratory testing of your household water is necessary to determine your actual lead concentration. This testing provides precise data tailored to your home’s specific plumbing.
Once you know your household’s daily water demand and lead level, targeted treatment can be applied. The C-Series Lead in Water Filter ships ready to configure and is designed to address lead concerns effectively when capacity matches your usage. It supplements your knowledge with proven filtration technology to reduce lead exposure at critical points in the home.
Where this information comes from
Source: EPA SDWIS public water system record. Sampled 2024-12-31. These figures describe the public water system's record, not the plumbing inside any individual building.
On record: EPA SDWIS record for IL AMERICAN-WEST SUBURBAN (IL1974151), surface water supply, serving 73978 people: 0 health-based violations of 0 total; lead 90th percentile 0 mg/L