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Bethalto Drinking Water
Bethalto, IL
Madison County
Background
Bethalto is a village in Madison County, located east of Alton. The Village owns and operates a public water supply that obtains source water from seven groundwater wells. The Village treats water using various chemical processes, including filters and softeners, to reduce manganese and iron oxidation before the water is disinfected and treated with fluoride and phosphate. These treatment processes are designed to ensure that water delivered to the public water supply's customers meets national maximum contaminant levels (MCLs), which are federal drinking water standards. MCLs are set by the USEPA for a variety of substances and contaminants to ensure safe drinking water. Water may meet the state and federal drinking water standards and still have aesthetic issues such as discoloration from high iron levels.
In August 2025, Illinois EPA began receiving complaints of discolored water from local residents. Some residents also had their drinking water privately sampled. While not a typical practice, the Illinois EPA took the extraordinary measure to sample residences to verify that drinking water meets state and federal drinking water standards.
Current Efforts
In response to these complaints, the Illinois EPA began sampling at the Village of Bethalto Public Water System. On August 26, Illinois EPA staff obtained drinking water samples from the Village’s seven wells and treatment plant. The Illinois EPA also took samples from indoor faucets located at private residences and local schools. The Illinois EPA Laboratory analyzed those samples for inorganic chemical contaminants, including iron, lead, and manganese, and coliform bacteria.
Sampling Results
All Illinois EPA testing to date, both at the water treatment plant and in residential locations, has confirmed that the drinking water meets all state and federal drinking water standards. No exceedances have been found for manganese or any other parameters tested, including lead, copper, iron and coliform.
Links
Contacts
If you have concerns regarding your household water, please contact Safe Drinking Water at epa.safewater@illinois.gov.
For further questions and concerns please contact Barb Lieberoff, Office of Community Relations at Barb.Lieberoff@illinois.gov.