Home Care In Aurora, IL

After another six months of testing using recently-heightened requirements, Aurora officials have again found high levels of lead in the drinking water of some homes.

Between July and December, the city of Aurora’s Water Production Division collected 100 samples of water and analyzed them for lead, according to a city news release. More than 10% of the samples contained lead readings above the “action level,” meaning the city is now required to take certain actions, such as replacing lead service lines, adjusting water treatment practices and implementing public education programs.

These results do not mean that all drinking water in Aurora contains lead. The water coming from the city’s treatment plant does not have lead in it plus meets all other water quality standards, city officials said in the news release.

Some houses in Aurora just have elevated levels of lead in their water, as lead can enter drinking water from the pipes that connect houses to city water mains, which are called service lines, the city news release said.

This is the second six-month period of testing since the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency instituted new water testing standards in late 2024, changes which city officials said have contributed to certain homes in the city now exceeding the action level for lead. The first six-month round of tests had similar results and required the city take similar actions, including notifying local media.

Under previous standards, only the first liter of water that came out of a faucet in a residential unit would be sampled to test for lead particles, the news release said. Now, both the first and fifth liters of water must be sampled.

Higher rates of lead were found since the fifth liter of water spent more time in the service line, which in some houses is still made out of lead, so more of those particles dissolved in the water, according to the news release. Some homes throughout the city now exceed the U.S. EPA’s action level for lead in water of 15 parts per billion, officials said.

Residents can learn what material their service line is made out of by visiting lead-service-cityofaurora.hub.arcgis.com. Those who wish to have their water tested can email the Water Production Division for help: [email protected].

The city’s public notice about the elevated levels of lead contained several tips for how people can reduce exposure to lead in drinking water. Recommendations include using a filter certified to remove lead, cleaning a faucet’s aerator, using cold water and running water for a short time before using it to clear what sat in pipes.

Nearby construction or maintenance work may disrupt lead service lines, causing more lead to be dissolved into the water, according to the notice. When this happens, the city will provide a temporary lead filter and will also replace the disturbed lead service line for free within 30 days, the notice said.

Aurora has been working to remove lead and galvanized water lines for years. Since 2018, the city has replaced 2,988 lead service lines, with more set to be replaced in the coming years, the recent news release from the city said.

The state of Illinois is set to ramp up its lead water line replacement mandates starting in 2027, according to a presentation last year by Aurora Director of Public Works Jason Bauer. Last year’s water rate increase should cover the cost of that state mandate, but a different federal mandate may raise that requirement even further, costing the city an additional $9 million, Bauer said at the time.

Lead is toxic and can cause serious health problems, especially for children, according to the U.S. EPA.

Even at low levels, lead in a child’s bloodstream can cause developmental issues, the EPA’s website says. Lead is dangerous for adults, too, and is of particular concern for those who are pregnant because it can hurt the developing baby.

Water is not the only way people can be exposed to lead. Considering various risks of exposure, the state has identified many areas across the state, including in the Aurora area, where children are required to be tested for lead exposure.

These “Pediatric Lead Poisoning High-Risk ZIP Code Areas” can be found on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s website.

[email protected]

Aurora University's Schingoethe Center will bring to life "Mapping Territories/Trazando Territorios: The Art of Exile in Pilsen."

Art has long been a bridge across cultures. This spring, the Schingoethe Center of Aurora University will bring this power to life in “Mapping Territories/Trazando Territorios: The Art of Exile in Pilsen – Chicago.” The exhibition is both timely and meaningful, offering students and the wider community a chance to connect with stories of migration, resilience, and cultural pride.

In Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, murals stretch across facades like open books, telling the community’s story. Alongside these vibrant works, generations of printmakers have used ink and paper to capture the experience and conditions that brought waves of Mexican migrants to the city. “Mapping Territories,” which premiered at the Mexican Cultural Institute in Paris in 2024, highlights this rich history of printmaking and its role in shaping a community’s collective identity.

The exhibition features 58 prints by renowned Latin American artists, including Carlos Cortéz, Hector Duarte, and Dolores Mercado. The works were chosen from print portfolios that Chicago artist and curator René Arceo has been assembling and publishing since 2005 under Arceo Press. For each of his portfolios, Arceo invites printmakers from around the world to interpret a single theme.

“As a printmaker myself, I have been publishing portfolios for more than 20 years and am interested in finding ways to share them,” said Arceo. “I expect students will relate, in a meaningful way, to the different aspects this exhibit addresses.”

The exhibition was co-curated by Aline Hémond, professor of anthropology at Paris Nanterre University; Fabienne de Pierrebourg, curator of Americas collections at the Jacques Chirac Museum of Quai Branly; and Ingrid Arriaga of the Mexican Cultural Institute in Paris. Together, they structured “Mapping Territories” around three themes: the Journey, Inhabit the City, and Memory, Identity, Disjunction.

The curator's note in the exhibition catalog that while every migrant’s story is unique, there are also shared narratives — like Pilsen’s, where artists have built connections among residents, most of Mexican origin, through murals and prints that are open to everyone.

Alumni, students, and friends of AU are invited to experience the exhibition January 13–May 15, at the Schingoethe Center. Through the lens of Pilsen’s artists, visitors will be encouraged to reflect on migration, belonging, and the enduring power of art to transcend borders.

To view current hours and learn more about the exhibition, visit aurora.edu/museum.

This year's inductees, the athlete alumni and a current coach, will be celebrated before a varsity basketball game against Plainfield East.

AURORA, IL — Five people, including four athletes and one coach, will be inducted into the West Aurora High School Hall of Fame on Jan. 17.

The West Aurora High School Athletic Department and the Blackhawk Sports Boosters will host the Athletic Hall of Fame reception and induction beginning at 3 p.m. in the school's fieldhouse, followed by an induction ceremony in the main gym at about 4:45 p.m.

The celebration will conclude with the varsity boys basketball team taking on the Plainfield East High School Bengals, with tip-off scheduled at 5:30 p.m.

The inductees include current football, wrestling and track coach Bob Fowler; Class of 1985 tennis and badminton athlete Cathy Hoffer; Class of 2003 tennis player Joe McWilliams; Class of 1974 basketball, baseball and cross country player Scott Ruddy; and Class of 2010 basketball, softball and volleyball athlete Devin Vaughn.

The community is invited to attend the Hall of Fame celebration and stay for the basketball game. Tickets — $5 for adults and $3 for students — to the game can be purchased online in advance.

This is what West Aurora School District 129 shared about each athlete:

Bob Fowler has dedicated more than three decades to West Aurora High School as a coach in football, wrestling, and track. Since 1989, he has mentored hundreds of student-athletes, including numerous All-Conference and All-State performers, while contributing to multiple conference championships and playoff teams. His long-standing commitment and leadership have left a lasting impact on Blackhawk athletics.

Cathy Hofer, Class of 1985, is one of the most accomplished tennis players in West Aurora history. She remains the school’s only IHSA State Singles Champion, earning the title as a sophomore, and was part of a highly successful team recognized as the "Super Six." Cathy went on to play at Clemson University, where she became an All-American and was later inducted into the Clemson Athletic Hall of Fame.

Joe McWilliams, Class of 2003, was a standout tennis player known for his success at the state level. He captured the IHSA State Singles Championship as a senior and completed an undefeated final season, finishing with more than 100 career wins. Joe continued his tennis career at Michigan State University, where he competed at the collegiate level and represented West Aurora on a national stage.

Scott Ruddy, Class of 1974, excelled as a multi-sport athlete in cross country, basketball, and baseball. He earned All-Conference honors in baseball, helped lead West Aurora to multiple state finals appearances, and went on to earn a baseball scholarship at the University of Denver, where he set program records. Scott later signed with the St. Louis Cardinals, fulfilling a lifelong goal of playing professional baseball.

Devin Vaughn, Class of 2010, was a three-sport athlete in volleyball, basketball, and softball, earning varsity letters across nearly every season of her high school career. She scored more than 1,000 points in basketball and received multiple All-Conference and All-Area honors. Devin continued her athletic career at Elmhurst University, where she also pursued opportunities in coaching and education.