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Attorney General Sues Heyworth Mobile Home Park Over Contaminated Water

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Country Lane Mobile Home Park in Heyworth.

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed a lawsuit Friday against a Heyworth mobile home park to force its owners to fix its contaminated water supply.

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency first discovered problems at Country Lane Mobile Home Park in June, when the water supply tested positive for coliform bacteria, officials said. More testing in August revealed the presence of E. coli. Residents have been advised to use only boiled or bottled water.

The agreed order entered Friday in McLean County court will require Country Lane’s owner to investigate the source of the contamination, operate continuous chlorination equipment, and provide residents with safe drinking water and bottled water in one of the park’s common areas until the permanent public water supply is addressed.

Friday’s lawsuit came after the Illinois EPA last month asked Madigan to step in.

“I filed a lawsuit against Country Lane Mobile Home Park to ensure residents immediately have access to safe water while the property owner remediates the contaminated water supply,” Madigan said.

Under the agreed order, the mobile home park’s owner must maintain the boil order as required by law and provide replacement drinking water while the owner investigates the source of the contamination. The company is also required to continue operating newly installed continuous chlorination equipment and provide regular status updates to the Madigan’s office and the EPA.

Country Lane is "pleased we've finally been able to get an agreed order" with the Illinois EPA, owner John Theobald told GLT on Friday.

Country Lane installed a temporary chlorinator within 12 hours of being notified of the E. coli discovery, he said. The E. coli was actually found in a tenant's trailer, not in the park's well, Theobald said.

Country Lane installed a permanent chlorination system last week, Theobald said. While its owners wait for the water to be tested and cleared, Country Lane residents remain under a boil order, he said. Country Lane is distributing three gallons of water to residents each week, he said.

There are 20 trailers in the mobile home park, he said.

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Ryan Denham is the digital content director for WGLT.
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