Jennifer Porzel said she’s been frustrated with the water quality in Western Springs for some time, especially since repairs on a deep well began in mid October.
“But with this affecting my newborn baby, it has me at my breaking point,” Porzel said.
Water with a high calcium and iron content has left a film on baby bottles and a thick dusty residue on nursery furniture and walls, despite a tablet in the humidifier to counter the effects of hard water, Porzel said.
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Scrubbing sinks, faucets and drains also has been a challenge to remove hard water stains, she said.
A homeowner in the Forest Hills subdivision for three years, Porzel said she has had issues with hard water from time to time previously, even with a water softener. But the problems are much more pronounced since the well repair project.
Anthony Burba, who moved to the Springdale subdivision just over a year ago, said dark brown water filled his tub when he bathed his three children. After he rinsed off the children in the shower, Burba said he noticed brown stains on the towel.
“My 3-year-old had a brown goatee when I was wiping his face,” Burba said.
He took his three children for a bath at his in-law’s home in Willowbrook,
The sudden drop in water quality Nov. 20 was due to a water main break in the area, but Burba said it was frustrating not to learn the cause until three days later.
Residents had been informed in mid-October one deep well would be shut down for repairs and water from a shallow well would help meet demand. The shallow well water, heavy in mineral content, can’t be treated through the village’s reverse osmosis filtration system, but would be used only as a temporary fix, officials said.
Matt Supert, director of municipal services, has said repeatedly the village’s water meets all standards and is safe to drink. The mineral content affecting taste and color are more of an aesthetic issue, he said.
As of MondayBurba said his water still is yellow, and he may have to flush his hot water tank to get rid of sediment. The hard water has wreaked havoc on neighbors’ appliances, especially dishwashers, he said.
Burba said he looks forward to more transparency from village officials on developing a long-term solution to the water quality, as well as the cost of operating the system, compared to communities receiving Lake Michigan water from Chicago.
“It’s tough when you can’t trust the water source,” he said. “It will be a long time before I’m comfortable drinking it again.”
Twitter: @janemichaels22