Is Collinsville’s water safe? City changes its answer after new PFAS tests
Collinsville has reversed its previous guidance that the city’s drinking water is safe after new tests revealed rising levels of so-called “forever chemicals” in groundwater and treated water, which exceed federal limits.
The city is now recommending that residents filter city tap water before drinking or cooking with it, contrary to assurances it gave just five months ago.
Exposure to the contaminants known as PFAS has been linked to certain types of cancer, fertility and child development issues and other health problems.
PFAS is shorthand for perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The synthetic chemicals have been used for decades to make products that repel oil and water such as nonstick cookware, waterproof clothing, stain resistant furniture, food packaging and cosmetics, as well as firefighting foams.
They are called forever chemicals because they break down very slowly and build up over time — including in the human body when people ingest them. PFAS don’t have any taste, color or odor.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says people face health risks with any level of exposure to two PFAS in particular. And Collinsville saw elevated levels of one of them in its new tests: perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA.
Under new EPA regulations, the legal limit for PFOA in drinking water is 4 parts per trillion, a standard set after considering costs and available water treatment technology. However, the agency’s public health goal is to have no amount of PFOA in drinking water.
Treated drinking water samples from May 2 and June 26 in Collinsville detected PFOA at 11 parts per trillion and 17 parts per trillion, respectively.
A new lab tested the sample from May, according to chief water plant operator Michael Crawford. He said officials sent another sample from June to a lab the city has worked with in the past, which confirmed the elevated PFOA levels.
Crawford said the city received the confirmatory test result in late August. Officials shared the information and new safety recommendation with the community at the City Council meeting on Tuesday night and online on Wednesday.
“Once we got these results back, it was heartbreaking, but we gotta make sure everybody knows about it,” Crawford said.
In response to the news, Collinsville Unit 10 Superintendent Brad Skertich told parents that the district would have the environmental consulting group J.S. Held, LLC evaluate the water in the schools and develop a system to address PFAS.
Collinsville Senior Center also announced that it would purchase purified water for the free lemonade, tea and coffee it provides to older adults in Collinsville Township.
Before the 2025 test results, the city had said as recently as April that the water was safe to drink and filtering was not needed.
The city’s highest PFAS results since 2020 were PFOA readings of 44 parts per trillion in untreated well water from two wells in 2021 and 2023. It stopped using one of those wells in September 2024 after repeatedly high results there even after treatment.
Since then, another well has gone out of service due to a mechanical issue, so the city could not shut down any more wells in response to the new results, according to Crawford.
“If any more go down, we risk not being able to supply water,” he said.
Collinsville is in the early stages of a multiyear process to update its water treatment equipment to remove more PFAS from treated water that goes into citizens’ homes by 2029.
“This is as fast as it possibly can happen, since this is a large project,” the city stated in an updated FAQ on its website.
2029 is also when oversight agencies will begin enforcing the EPA’s limits on PFAS in drinking water with violations and fines.
Crawford said the process takes years because it requires studies and reports from licensed engineering firms, EPA approval, funding applications and monthslong lead times for the specialized industrial equipment.
City Manager Derek Jackson said in an email to the Belleville News-Democrat that the city is evaluating options to possibly accelerate the timeline at the water plant. He also said officials are developing programs for residents who cannot afford to purchase home filters in the meantime.
“We’re in active discussions with federal, state, county, and township partners to establish assistance programs that can help residents reduce exposure until the new treatment systems are online,” Jackson wrote. “As soon as a program is finalized, we’ll announce the details and how to access support.”
Which water filters work on PFAS?
The EPA says certain types of home water filter systems can reduce PFAS, including:
- Granular activated carbon (GAC), which traps chemicals as water passes through it
- Reverse osmosis (RO) systems, which force water through a thin barrier that separates chemicals from the water
- Ion exchange resins, which are tiny beads that act like powerful magnets to attract and hold the contaminated materials from passing through the water system
The agency advises consumers to check product packaging for faucet filters, filtering pitchers and under-the-sink devices for “NSF/ANSI 53” or “NSF/ANSI 58,” which means it has been certified to reduce PFAS by an independent entity.
This story was originally published September 25, 2025 at 6:00 AM.
