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COUNTY – The Lake County Health Department/ Community Health Center is offering several activities in observance of National Groundwater Awareness Week in March. It will have an open house from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Lake County Central Permit Facility, 500 W. Winchester Road in Libertyville. Experts will discuss and answer questions about well water, such as why well water may have a funny taste or smell, where well water comes from and where it goes, and what tests are necessary to ensure that it is safe to drink. Those who attend can participate in drawings to win a free bacterial analysis of their well water. They can also pick up water testing kits. Between Monday and March 13, the department is offering reduced rates for water testing. Lake County residents can pick up sterile test bottles at the Central Permit Facility or at a wide variety of township and municipal offices throughout Lake County. For a list of locations, call 847-377-8020. Water sampling kits can also be mailed for
• SUMMIT Continued from page 10 budget for repairs. “It’s surely a hot topic,” Boland said.
Lake Barrington Lake Barrington Village Administrator Chris Martin said the village of Lake Barrington has seen significant business development this past year, especially in the Pepper Park region. “We’ve weathered the success very well,” Martin said. Martin said the proposed 8,000-square-foot Pepper Park retail center – on Pepper Road, just before the Lake Barrington Field House – will be complete this summer, with construction set to begin as soon as the ground thaws. “It was a bold move by the
$12. Bring all collected water samples for analysis between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday to the Lake County Central Permit Facility and Environmental Laboratory, 500 W. Winchester Road in Libertyville. During this time, the normal $16 analysis fee for testing for bacteria and nitrates will be reduced to $10 for well owners. “About 90,000 Lake County residents rely on groundwater from aquifers to supply their private wells,” said Tony Beltran, the health department’s executive director. “The health department encourages all users of private wells to take this time to have their drinking water tested, and to test it at least annually to see if it meets the minimum drinking water standards.” Results of water samples are ready for homeowners in approximately three working days. If people are uncomfortable with collecting these samples themselves, staff is available to go out to homes to collect the sample for a $55 fee, which includes an inspection of the well and the lab analysis for bacteria and nitrates.
Winter sunset Barringtonarea resident Dawn SorokinTschupp submitted this photo of a sunset Jan. 29 at Barrington’s Baker’s Lake. Photo provided by Dawn Sorokin-Tschupp
“Our goal is to maintain neighborhood character while offering urban opportunities.” Paula McCombie South Barrington village president
developer and Swiss Automation owner, Ken Malo,” Martin said. Martin explained that although construction plans have been cut back from 15,000-square-feet of retail space to 8,000, the Pepper Park development will add additional services and conveniences to the Lake Barrington area. Additionally, Martin said that two lots, left and right of the Field House, have now been brought out of foreclosure and the local economy is coming back. “Homes are selling,” Mar-
tin said.
Port Barrington Port Barrington Village President Shannon Yeaton spoke of local business, flood damage and future development. With only four village establishments – three bars and one church – Yeaton said Port Barrington has benefited greatly from video gambling. The village now has 10 gambling machines – five in each of the two bars. “Video gambling has been crucial with our lack of retail space,” Yeaton said. “It’s
brings in about $2,400 to the village each month. It’s fabulous.” Yeaton said serious Fox River flooding blew the village budget last year, but Port Barrington eventually received $24,000 in federal relief funds. This year, Yeaton said she is absolutely expecting the village to flood once again, but a trained emergency response team will be ready, as will sand bagging equipment. Yeaton also spoke about winter road damage, explaining that the village will not be able to assess which road repairs are needed until the snow clears.
South Barrington South Barrington Village President Paula McCombie has been a resident of her village since the 1980s and said she’s enjoyed seeing the area
grow. McCombie said, like Deer Park, South Barrington has greatly benefitted from its high-end retail center – the Arboretum of South Barrington. Plus, McCombie said housing permits have jumped from 12 to 39 in the past year – an indicator of a growing economy. “Our goal is to maintain neighborhood character while offering urban opportunities,” McCombie said. McCombie said she personally drove each village roadway last week to see which repairs will need to be made in Spring and Mundhank Road appears to be the only problem. “We’ll wait it out for now,” McCombie said. “Officials have said the roads are flexible and may return to normal when the area thaws.”
BarringtonSuburbanLife.com • Thursday, February 20, 2014
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Health office plans open house, free water testing