No boil order for 
wells near 
Rock River

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Private well owners along the Rock River do not need to worry about the ethanol contamination in the wake of last week’s spill in Rockford, according to the Whiteside County Health Department.

Health officials issued that statement Wednesday in response to rumors of a boil order for well users.

The rumor surfaced after a derailed train on Friday dumped the highly flammable liquid into a creek, which feeds into the Kishwaukee River and then into the Rock.

“There is no boil order unless your well has been submerged by floodwater,” said Gene Johnston, environmentalist with the health department. “Boil orders are only recommended when bacterial contamination is suspected.”

The position of the Illinois Department of Public Health and Illinois EPA is that there is no risk of well contamination from the ethanol spill, Johnston said. The only water supplies being tested related to the ethanol spill are wells located near the derailment site in Rockford.

State and federal authorities do suspect the spill to be responsible for a massive fish kill that started Sunday in the Rock River between Grand Detour and Erie. On Tuesday, U.S. EPA officials declared the fish kill over. The results of testing done to confirm the cause of the kill are expected to be released today.