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EPA will answer public questions about St. Charles groundwater contamination Thursday

The public meeting will take place 6 p.m. Thursday in the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Parish gymnasium.

ST CHARLES, Mo. — Environmental Protection Agency officials will hold a meeting to update St. Charles residents about the condition of their drinking water Thursday night.

The meeting will take place from 6-8:30 p.m. in the gymnasium at the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Parish, located at 601 N. Fourth St. There will be a formal presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.

Last week, Mayor Dan Borgmeyer announced the city has closed six out of seven wells that supply the city with drinking water. That means there's only one operational well at Elm Point Wellfield. The city has had to purchase drinkning water from the City of St. Louis to fill the gap.

After testing results revealed an Ameren substation was the source of contamination, the EPA last week said Ameren needs to reduce contaminants and work with St. Charles officials to address water needs, such as a safe well-pumping process. Ameren has already submitted work plans for the cleanup at Elm Point Wellfield.

Ameren officials said treatment techniques targeting chemicals are now underway, with completion set for the end of March, followed by a monitoring period. They expect a reduction in concentration levels by early summer.

The utility provider has established an informational website to address the St. Charles well field situation. It includes a list of frequently asked questions.

St. Charles is conducting its own investigation into additional water treatment options.

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