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City of Elgin Launches Free Water Testing and Filter Distribution Program
City of Elgin Launches Free Water Testing and Filter Distribution Program
Elgin, IL - The City of Elgin has partnered with 120Water to offer free water testing and pitcher filter kits for water customers who live or do business in Elgin. This new program is designed to help residents and business owners identify and reduce lead in their drinking water.
The program is available to Elgin residents (tenant or property owner) or business owners with an active water account in a house or building built before 1988. Single-family residential, small multi-family residential or businesses with a water service diameter of two-inches or smaller and schools or childcare facilities served by known or potential lead service lines are eligible for this new program.
Active water customers can request a water testing kit or pitcher filter kit, or both, directly at cityofelgin.org/waterkit. After submitting the request, it will be reviewed and an email will be sent informing customers of qualification status. Qualifying customers can expect to receive their kit in the mail within 10 days after the request is submitted. Bilingual (Spanish) assistance is available over email and phone.
The water testing kits provide three bottles to collect an initial draw sample, a two-minute flushed sample and a five-minute flushed sample. Residents will mail the samples directly to a state-certified laboratory for analysis. The results are provided to water customers within 10 days of the completed sample analysis.
The pitcher filters provided by 120Water are Brita filters that meet the certification requirements set by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) and United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) for lead removal.
120Water will take in requests, communicate with residents, source and track delivery of testing and filter kits, provide how-to-use instructions and offer customer support. For questions on sampling procedures, residents can call the 120Water support team at 1-800-674-7961 or email Support@120Water.com.
“The city has been proactively investing in reducing lead exposure for the last decade,” said Mayor Kaptain. “Replacing all the city’s 13,000 lead water service lines is going to take time. Providing the option of receiving free water testing and filter kits for affected residents and businesses while the work continues is the right thing to do.”
Most recently, the city council invested $13.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds combined with $8 million in state funding assistance to replace approximately 1,600 of the estimated to be 13,000 lead water service lines.
The City of Elgin provides clean, safe and reliable drinking water to all Elgin residents. Lead is not present in Elgin's treated drinking water. Some homes and buildings, however, have water service lines, solder and fixtures made of lead, and lead can enter the drinking water through the corrosion of plumbing materials.
For more information about the city’s lead service line replacement efforts and free testing and filter distribution program, please visit cityofelgin.org/lead.
120Water is the leading solutions provider used by water professionals across the country to manage critical lead and drinking water programs. Comprised of secure, cloud-based software, professional services, and point-of-use kits, 120Water’s solution provides tailored workflows for complying with lead and water quality programs that protect public health. Their team of water, policy, and technology experts has supported over 7,000 sampling events across the country, partnering with water systems and government agencies such as the City of Providence, the City of Asheville and Chicago Public Schools to protect public health and provide clean drinking water to all communities. To learn more, visit 120Water.com.
