CRESTWOOD, Ill., Feb. 9 (UPI) -- A class-action lawsuit against an Illinois community over contaminated water has been settled, but residents say the checks they're getting are too small.
Current and former residents of Crestwood are getting checks for just $200 to $500 from a $500,000 settlement with the community related to drinking water from a contaminated well that was distributed even after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency directed the city to stop, the Chicago SouthtownStar reported Wednesday.
The settlement allows village residents compensation for 20 percent of the water bills they paid from 1985 to 2007.
Robert Boharic, a retired Cook County Circuit judge administering the settlement, said 1,033 claims were filed totaling more than $5.76 million in water bills.
Using the 20 percent formula, $1,071,598 of those bills qualified for compensation.
"But the pool of money was $500,000 so we couldn't go beyond that," Boharic said.
To resolve the discrepancy between the settlement amount available and legitimate claims, all claims were further reduced by 46 percent on a proportionate basis, he said.
Tricia Krause, a former Crestwood resident who originally brought the well contamination to light, said people are "angry and frustrated" about the settlement.
"Those checks being issued may cover one doctor's visit," Krause said, describing the settlement terms as "ridiculous."
