Madigan: Safe Drinking Water On Tap For Remainder Of Homes Near Lockformer

Chicago ─ Attorney General Lisa Madigan today announced that Lockformer Co. has been ordered to pay to ensure safe water supplies for any remaining residents whose private wells allegedly were contaminated, or may become contaminated, as a result of past chemical spills at a neighboring Lisle factory.

“Safe and reliable drinking water is an absolute necessity,” Madigan said.  “This latest action is one more step in ending the nightmare Lockformer caused by carelessly handling a dangerous chemical that experts contend wreaked havoc on the environment.”

A consent order entered Monday, July 26, in DuPage County Circuit Court, requires Lockformer Co., 711 Ogden Ave., and its corporate owner, Met-Coil Systems Corp., to set aside $2 million to cover the costs for up to 154 residences that can choose to connect to municipal water systems in Lisle and Woodridge. More than 100 other residences immediately south of Lockformer connected to Lisle’s water system under a May 2002 court order. 

Met-Coil Systems entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in August 2003. The consent order hinges on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court confirming Met-Coil’s plan of reorganization and the plan taking effect no later than 30 days after that confirmation.

According to the order, residents of the eastern half of the Woodridge Estates subdivision can connect to the Village of Lisle’s system. Homeowners adjacent to Woodridge living in the Suburban Estates subdivision will be allowed to connect to the Woodridge public water supply. 

Once notified, homeowners have six months to decide to connect to a municipal water supply system.  If a homeowner decides to do so, the order requires that a hook-up be completed within 60 days of receiving the request or 60 days from the date of the installation of the water main to which the home is to be connected.  Lockformer also must notify Madigan’s office when all of the hook-ups are completed.  Additionally, the order requires Lockformer to reimburse homeowners in the eastern half of the Woodridge Estates subdivision and homeowners in the Suburban Estates subdivision who paid earlier to hook up to a municipal system.

In January 2001, the Attorney General’s office and DuPage County sued Lockformer alleging that trichloroethylene (TCE) was spilled as it was delivered to the factory and stored in a 500-gallon rooftop storage tank via a refilling line that extended down the side of the building.  According to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA), spills allegedly occurred during chemical deliveries from approximately 1970 to 1992.   In its referral, the IEPA alleged the spills contaminated the soil and groundwater on company property and beyond. In August 2001, the Village of Lisle intervened in the lawsuit. 

Lockformer used TCE as a degreasing agent in its manufacturing process.  Toxicologists consider it a possible human carcinogen that can cause various ailments.  Honeywell International now owns the company that formerly delivered TCE to Lockformer and also was named in the original lawsuit.  Madigan said the case against Honeywell is pending and is not a part of Monday’s court action. 

“I am very pleased that these DuPage County residents will have the opportunity to hook up to a public water supply at Lockformer’s expense,” commented DuPage County State’s Attorney Joe Birkett.  “I am also grateful for the efforts of Lisle, Woodridge, the DuPage County Board and the citizens’ action groups for the countless hours they committed to delivering safe water to these families.”

Madigan added, “Residents in the eastern half of Woodridge Estates and Suburban Estates will no longer have to drink bottled water or worry about using their well water for bathing or other household uses.  Lockformer finally will provide the people in those areas with the ability to connect to a municipal water supply and end their fears of exposure to contaminated water.  In the end, the polluter has paid.”

Since 2001, IEPA has coordinated extensive private well testing and monitored the soil and groundwater in the vicinity to determine the extent of alleged contamination caused by the TCE spills. Madigan said IEPA’s investigation has been instrumental in understanding the magnitude of the problem and has assisted in her office obtaining previous orders that, among other things, required Lockformer to pay for bottled water to homeowners on private wells in the three separate areas south of the factory. 

“These cooperative efforts between the Illinois EPA and the Attorney General have accomplished yet another important step toward bringing clean water to residents of Woodridge Estates,” said IEPA Director Renee Cipriano. “Lockformer caused the contamination in their private wells; now Lockformer will be made to provide them with safe drinking water.”

As Lockformer continues to investigate and clean up its contaminated property, the order requires Lockformer to complete all remediation activities at the site required by the January 2001 agreed order.  In addition, Madigan’s office will have access to up to $3 million to ensure the cleanup is accomplished from guarantor Mestek, Inc.   Additionally, Met-Coil must reimburse IEPA for its future costs for overseeing the cleanup of the site. 

Senior Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Wallace is handling the case for Madigan’s Environmental Bureau.  Assistant State’s Attorneys Thomas Downing and Deborah Helms are handling the case on behalf of DuPage County.