Lake County Gazette

On September 24, 2025, the City of Collinsville informed the Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 about water test results showing the presence of polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in both untreated and treated water from city wells. As a result, the city advised all customers to filter potable water before using it for cooking or drinking. Unfiltered water can still be used for handwashing, bathing, and laundry.

In response to this notification, Superintendent Mark B. Skertich stated that the district is working with its environmental consulting group, J.S. Held, LLC, to evaluate the safety of potable water in schools and develop an approach to address PFAS contamination. He said: "While not all of our schools receive water from the City of Collinsville, out of an abundance of caution, the district will follow the recommended course of action for each building as advised by our environmental consultants to ensure a safe environment for our students and staff." Skertich also indicated that families would receive further communication once a plan is finalized.

Collinsville Community Unit School District 10 serves schools across Madison and St. Clair counties including Caseyville Elementary School, Collinsville High School, Collinsville Middle School, Dorris Intermediate School, Jefferson Elementary School, John A. Renfro Elementary School, Kreitner Elementary School, Maryville Elementary School, Summit Elementary School, Twin Echo Elementary School and Webster Elementary School (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

According to data from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), there are 418 teachers in the district with an average salary of $60,392; most teachers are women and none have more than ten absences per school year (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). The student population is made up of approximately 56 percent White students, 14.1 percent Black students, 24.1 percent Hispanic students and 0.5 percent Asian students (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/). In 2020, per-student spending was $16,872 with total expenditures reaching $104 million (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/).

Superintendent Skertich concluded his message by assuring families that additional information would be provided as soon as next steps are determined.