The City of Litchfield recognizes the frustration many residents are
experiencing as the system-wide boil order continues. In our effort to remain
transparent, we want to address several concerns that have been raised and provideclarity on the situation.
First and foremost, our water is not contaminated. This situation is not about something harmful being in the water, but rather about what was temporarily missing from it.
Because our water source is Lake Lou Yaeger, we are required by law to maintain a
chlorine residual throughout our system. Chlorine is an essential safeguard that
prevents bacteria and other contaminants from developing in the distribution network.
Due to a failure within the chlorine injection system, there was a period of time when chlorine was not being introduced into our process at the required levels. The moment this issue was identified, the City immediately consulted with the Illinois Rural Water Association, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (Illinois EPA), and other industry professionals to identify the problem, correct the failure, and ensure compliance with all safety standards.
It is important to note that during all testing, no bacteria or other contaminants have been identified in the City’s water supply. The boil order was issued out of an
abundance of caution to ensure the system meets the required chlorine residual levels at all points in the distribution network.
The system-wide boil order applied not only to the City of Litchfield but also to any other water systems that purchase water from Litchfield. Some of these systems have since been able to come off the boil order because they were able to isolate the valves that allow Litchfield water into their systems, leaving them unaffected moving forward.
We are encouraged to report that water leaving the treatment plant is showing adequate chlorine levels. Over the weekend, City crews worked around the clock flushing the distribution system to push properly disinfected water throughout the network, and that work continues today. While we hoped to have better news to share at this time, what we can say is that we are seeing steady progress. Crews will continue flushing around the clock until chlorine residuals are consistently at the safe levels required to lift the boil order.
We fully understand that this has caused inconvenience, and we want to reassure
residents that every decision has been made with safety as the top priority. City crews, working alongside state and industry experts, continue to implement corrective measures to restore stability and ensure the water supply consistently meets safe standards.

The City of Litchfield remains committed to open communication and will continue to provide timely updates as progress is made. We thank our residents and businesses for their patience and cooperation during this process.
For questions or concerns, residents may contact Litchfield City Hall at 217-324-8151 or follow updates on WSMI, the City’s official website and social media pages.