The City of Minonk water department wishes to advise its customers that due to upcoming repairs to the City’s water treatment plant, the maximum allowable concentration for combined radium will be exceeded. The maximum allowable concentration for combined radium as designated by the Illinois Pollution Control Board is 5 pico curies per liter (pCi/L) of water. During repairs, it is anticipated that the average concentration in your drinking water will exceed this limit. This notification is being issued for informational purposes. Should a hazard exist, immediate notification will be made. Some forms of radiation can occur naturally in water. If the water is drawn from a formation that contains deposits of radioactive minerals, a small amount will dissolve and be present in the water. When water containing combined radium is ingested, a portion of the radium may remain in the bone. The radiation which is given off from the radium, because of its high energy, can cause damage to the surrounding tissue. A dose of 5 pCi/l ingested over an extended period of time may result in the development of bone cancer in a very small portion of the population. At the levels detected, the short-term risk is minimal and no special precautions need to be taken by the consumer at this time. The City of Minonk estimates the repairs to being on September 3, 2019 with an estimated completion date of October 15, 2019. During the repairs, the City will continue monitoring and will notify the public once repairs are completed. If you have any questions or comments in regards to this notice, please contact Kaleb Garber at (309) 531-1058.