VILLA RIDGE, Ill. -- Water supply is a problem in many parts of Illinois.

It isn't uncommon for rural households to pay $80 to $100 for water for residential use, said a USDA Rural Economic and Community Development Services official this week.

Wallace D. Furrow, state director of the Illinois RECDS, told a group at a water meeting here this week that his department and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs (DCCA) have helped fund 360 water systems in Illinois since the 1960s, but that as many as a million people in Illinois still rely on private wells for water.

Water is critical to health, said Jim Buitt, regional supervisor for the Division of Environmental Health, Illinois Department of Public Health (DPH), in Marion.

Buitt told the group that a review of about 130,000 private Illinois water well samples analyzed by the DPH from 1986 through 1994 found that a significant number of the samples contained bacterial contamination.

"Although there doesn't appear to be an imminent health threat to the people relying on private wells, bacteria can cause health risks, particularly to infants and the elderly," said Buitt. "We urged all private well owners to have the water tested at least once a year."

If contaminants are found, the well owners should disinfect the well and have a second test taken, added Buitt. If contamination still exists, well owners should arrange a visit by a local health department sanitarian to check for construction or site defects.

The health department also urges anyone in the household with a chronic illness or weakened immune system to use an alternate source of water -- bottled water or water from a municipal water system -- until the well water has been tested and determined safe to drink.

Of the 130,000 water well samples submitted over a nine-year period, 27 percent, or 34,829, tested positive for coliform bacteria. This, said Buitt, indicated contamination from soil or surface water, and in many cases can be treated for safe use.

Well water samples tested much better in the lower five counties than in some other areas of the state.

Union County tested at only 9.6 percent of positive contamination, fourth best in the state behind DeKalb County (5.7), Cook County (7.3) and Will County (7.4).

"Of 897 samples only 86 were found to contain any bacteria in Pulaski County," said Buitt.

Alexander and Massac counties checked under 19 percent with contaminations, while Johnson County tested at 20.8 and Pulaski County at 22.8 percent.

A band of 29 counties, mostly in the central part of the state, had the highest percentage of contaminated wells, with more than 40 percent of those tested having bacterial contamination.

Schuyler County had the largest percentage of contaminated wells at 60.5 percent, followed by Edgar County, 59.3 percent. A total of 27 counties in the central area had high contamination rates of more than 40 percent.

The reason for this, said Buitt, is likely the result of the hydro-geological conditions. The area's underground source of water is shallow and the wells used to tap the water are more susceptible to surface water contamination.

"Well contamination could be the result of poor well or water system construction, maintenance, location, repairs, with no follow-up disinfection or a combination of these.

"No matter the rate of contamination," said Buitt. "The well water should be tested annually."

The department will test water samples submitted to local health department or regional offices at a cost of $10, plus any handling costs.

Meanwhile, a new $20 million area water district has been proposed, which will provide water to residents in parts of Alexander, Pulaski and Union counties.

Southwater Inc. has funding in place for it first phase, which will serve 3 communities, two water districts and a number of individual users.