Water concerns voiced to council

Carol Winters shares concerns over the taste & smell of Pontiac water during Monday's Council meeting.

The taste and smell of Pontiac water was at the forefront of Monday’s regular meeting of the Pontiac City Council.

Local resident Carol Winters voiced concerns over the water – saying her clothes smelled like a combination of “rotting cucumbers and Downy” and that her dog’s water bowl smelled as well.

“Some of you will tell me my water is fine and some of you will tell me my water is awful,” Winters said.

Around Thanksgiving Winters stated her grandkids were staying with her when a granddaughter said she didn’t want to smell from taking a bath.

“It tasted weird,” Winters said of the water.  

She has made several calls to Illinois American Water and the Environmental Protection Agency and posted on Facebook asking if anyone else had problems with their water.

According to Winters, she reached Missouri and New Jersey when first calling the water company.

“They gave me a number and the woman in Champaign-Urbana called me back the next day.”

Winters was reportedly told the Pontiac treatment plant is constantly testing the water and that Pontiac’s problem is low water and not much rainfall. She has heard others describe the water as musty or fishy.

“People are buying water and we already pay for the water.”

Mayor Kelly Eckhoff thanked Winters for the time she has invested in this matter. The mayor spent time at the local plant, noting a carbon filter will be replaced in one to two years.

“It’s actually a very large piece of equipment,” observed Eckhoff.

City Administrator Jim Woolford was told the water quality was due to low water and an algae issue. Eckhoff noted there is more to it than just water flowing through the pipes.

Woolford said Bloomington is treating their water with carbon after similar issues.

Two additional members of the public also expressed concerns over the water with one resident questioning why this has not been addressed and the other saying the city should be demanding answers from the state and water company.

Also at Monday’s meeting, a TIF Roof Rehab grant was approved for 705 Meade Street. After a pre-inspection, it was found that all issues had been resolved. This quote was from Greiff’s for roof repair.

A TIF I Redevelopment Agreement was authorized for Mill Street Tap at 316 North Mill Street. The city has spoken with the owner about improvements in the back of the building.

“He has already made a substantial investment,” explained Administrator Woolford.

This rehabilitation grant is like a façade grant but it is more than a façade.

Council members approved a demolition at 116 West Howard Street. The city had purchased the property and after having it examined, it was determined the building cannot be saved as it is cracked.

“There is going to have to be some hand work involved with it,” said Woolford.

The building does have a small basement that needs to be filled in.

City leaders also approved a credit card agreement with First Financial Bank as the bank will now offer its own in-house credit card to the city.

An ambulance substation bid was discussed from Building Systems of Illinois, which was the low bidder, but no action was taken as the issue will be discussed at an upcoming Committee of the Whole meeting.

A vote on a new Route 66 mural to honor the late Pontiac Tourism director Betty Estes was tabled as the costs associated with the project are explored.

The council then entered an executive session for personnel and collective negotiating matters as authorized under section 2 (c) 2 of the Illinois Open Meeting Act.