Happening

Now:

MEDIA ADVISORY

Press Conference to Announce IEPA Enforcement Action

WHAT: Equity Legal Services, in partnership with Centreville Citizens for Change, will present a press conference Wednesday, August 12 at 3:45 p.m. in front of 5951 Piat Place, Cahokia Heights, Illinois.

Testing completed last week by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and Equity Legal Services, confirmed widespread violations of state drinking water disinfection standards across two water systems serving the Metro East area. On August 7, 2026, Illinois EPA issued Violation Notice No. W-2026-00054 to the City of Cahokia Heights and Violation Notice No. W-2026-00053 to Illinois American Water's East St. Louis system, both citing failures to maintain the minimum required chlorine residual. A combined chlorine residual of 1.0 mg/L must be present in all active parts of a distribution system at all times to properly disinfect drinking water. Illinois EPA documented insufficient chlorine residual levels throughout Cahokia Heights from August 4 through August 7, 2026, in violation of Section 18(a) of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, 415 ILCS 5/18(a), and 35 Ill. Adm. Code 604.725(a) and 601.101(a).

The violation notices mark the start of Illinois EPA's enforcement process under Section 31 of the Illinois Environmental Protection Act, 415 ILCS 5/31, which requires the City to respond within 45 days with an explanation of the violations. This press conference is being held to make sure residents whose organizing made this possible are the ones telling the story of what it means for their community.

The testing, and the enforcement action that follows it, would not have happened without years of persistence from Centreville Citizens for Change and Cahokia Heights residents, who have pushed for accountability over their contaminated drinking water, provided bottled water to the community, and opened their homes to sampling. Equity Legal Services calls on the City of Cahokia Heights and Illinois American Water to take immediate action to remedy these system-wide failures and provide safe drinking water to residents.

WHO: Nicole Nelson, Equity Legal Services Executive Director; Kennedy Moehrs Gardner, Equity Legal Services Staff Attorney; Jeanette Green, Centreville Citizens for Change Member and Cahokia Heights Resident; Ashley Taylor, Cahokia Heights Resident; Branden Harlen, Cahokia Heights Resident; Yvette Lyles, Centreville Citizens for Change Vice President and Cahokia Heights Resident; and Kalila Jackson, Equity Legal Services Senior Staff Attorney will present to media personnel present. This press conference is to inform the community of widespread public health concerns related to unsafe drinking water that has been confirmed not to contain enough disinfectant, as required by Illinois regulations.

WHEN/WHERE: The press conference will start at 3:45 p.m. on Wednesday, August 12, 2026, in front of 5951 Piat Place, Cahokia Heights, Illinois

POTENTIAL INTERVIEW SUBJECTS (available after the press conference)

Yvette Lyles, Vice President, Centreville Citizens for Change.

Nicole Nelson, Executive Director, Equity Legal Services.

Kalila Jackson, Senior Staff Attorney, Equity Legal Services.

Kennedy Moehrs Gardner, Staff Attorney, Equity Legal Services.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Equity Legal Services

Phone: 618-693-9800

Email: teamequity@equitylegalservices.org

Centreville Citizens for Change

Flooded.forgotten@gmail.com