Photo 1: An ad-hoc homeowners association, SPILL, had actively complained for more than 15 years regarding treated effluent water by the Round Lake-based Baxter Healthcare being discharged into Long Lake. The IEPA also cited the company last August, with violations.

The decade-old dispute between an ad-hoc homeowners association in Long Lake and the neighboring Baxter Healthcare over treated effluent water from the facility being dispersed into the lake itself may have reached a resolution.

Protesters held an informational picket at the Deerfield-based Baxter International headquarters May 2, during an annual shareholders meeting, which resulted in a corporate statement that the activity would cease.

Baxter CEO Jose Almeida addressed the issue at the meeting, and the company released a statement reversing its water treatment policy by seeking stub and line connections with local and regional treatment authorities. Proximal facilities with lines in the area include the Northwest Regional Water Reclamation District in Fox Lake, and the Northern Moraine Wastewater Reclamation District in Island Lake. The latter agency is eventually bringing lines to a proposed commercial development to routes 12 and 120 in Lakemoor.

Round Lake-based Baxter Healthcare has a research and development campus on Wilson Road, near Route 120. Effluent water is treated on-site and discharged into Long Lake.

In a May 4 statement to Chronicle Media, Baxter press representatives said, “As a healthcare company that manufactures life-saving and life-saving products, Baxter strives to be a leader in environmental compliance both globally and in the communities in which we operate. We are committed to pursuing a connection from our Round Lake facility to the public wastewater system and have communicated this position to local municipalities as well as the local homeowners association.

“We are actively working with the local and regional agencies in Round Lake, Fox Lake, Lake County Public Works, and Lakes Region Sanitary District regarding [this] to secure the necessary approvals for Baxter to begin the construction of the connection to the public wastewater system. In fact, meetings are scheduled in the next few weeks that should substantially advance this process.”

At issue is the discharge of treated effluent water into Long Lake impacting the ecosystems and environmental balance of the water body, from the reclamation facility on the Round Lake-based Baxter Healthcare campus, located on the northwest corner at the intersection of Route 120 and Wilson Road. The homeowners association, Stop Pollution In Long Lake (SPILL), was

organized to raise awareness and abate the practice on environmental grounds, since the early 2000s.

Also at issue is the disposition of potential litigation initiated on behalf of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, stemming from a violation notice against the site last August, where studies found the treated water exceeded specification for dissolved oxygen to supply the microorganisms needed to decompose remaining organic matter. The IEPA met with company officials two months ago, culminating with a notice of intent to pursue legal action over remedial action on the citation. The company sent a response to the IEPA March 27, and agency officials are mulling several options.

“The civil action would be handled by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, since they are the enforcement arm of the state, as is procedure” said IEPA Spokesperson Kim Biggs. “The violation was for exceeding the term limits of bio-chemical oxygen demands for total suspended solids. That information was reported to the company. Our agency is now reviewing the company response before charting the next step.”

The potential litigation for noncompliance could mirror a 2013 lawsuit filed by the Illinois Attorney General against Marengo’s Arnold Engineering, Inc., and its property owner, 300 West LLC to enforce IEPA restrictions and remedial action, along with punitive fines. It was discovered that approximately 17 private and non-community water wells, located within a one-mile proximity of the 300 West site, were contaminated with concentrations of substances including vinyl chloride, PCE, TCE, and other carcinogens.

The factory used the chemicals in the manufacture of magnets, and the by-products subsequently entered the water table.

In its statement to Chronicle Media, Baxter responded to IEPA assertions. “While our treatment plant has generally performed well, as compared to applicable legal and regulatory requirements, Baxter has self-reported occasional permit exceedances. In each case, we notified the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and we then implemented corrective and preventive actions to ensure compliance with applicable requirements. We have been in ongoing discussions with IEPA and there have been no fines proposed at this time.

“Given our commitment to connecting to the public wastewater system we have retained engineering and legal firms to assist Baxter in the design and permitting process. As part of our ongoing operations of the treatment plant, we monitor wastewater discharge and we are operating within all permitted limits today.”

Baxter media representative Ryan Wallace would not comment on the issued statement or pending actions. Requests for comment from SPILL were not successful. Northwest Regional Water Treatment Facility Director Ryan Kelly was also unavailable for comment.