U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush has urged the Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Illinois to take action to secure “affordable and dependable supplies of clean water” for residents in the south suburbs following a weekslong crisis in Dixmoor that left thousands without reliable water.
Rush, D-Ill., who represents part of Dixmoor and the surrounding area, sent a letter Wednesday night to EPA Administrator Michael Regan asking him to work with Illinois to rectify problems outlined in a Nov. 8 Chicago Tribune story that highlighted how crumbling infrastructure and political disagreements led to the Dixmoor crisis, as well as in other news accounts over the years that have drawn attention to inadequate water supply in Chicago’s Southland.
Rush also referenced toxic chemicals that contaminated drinking water in south suburban Crestwood, which came to light in 2009 after a mother refused to stop asking questions about why her teenage son suffered leukemia as a toddler.
Rush asked Regan to immediately commit to a study on the water supply and delivery systems of Chicago’s south suburbs.
“The financial straits that many of these south suburban municipalities find themselves in due to structural disadvantages and the COVID-19 pandemic mean that they are simply not in a fiscal place to take on their water issues alone,” Rush wrote. “The lurking threats to these towns’ water systems must be addressed — and I call on the state and federal governments to step in to assist these municipalities.”
Rush also noted that Illinois is in line to receive $1.5 billion for water infrastructure from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the bipartisan deal passed Saturday. He said such funds can be used to repair the water infrastructure in towns like Dixmoor if the EPA commits to properly studying problems in the area.
“In order for the funds to be properly distributed, we must have a comprehensive understanding of the water supply and delivery system for the south suburbs of Chicago,” he wrote.
mabuckley@chicagotribune.com
