UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. (WLS) — A drinking water alert for infants in parts of the south suburbs was lifted Friday.

Nitrate levels in the Kankakee River water are now below the required level, Aqua Illinois said.

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Residents in the village of University Park have been dealing with water problems for years. They blame the private utility, Aqua Illinois, that supplies water in the area that was once again providing free bottled water this past week.

The private water supplier said high levels of nitrates were detected following large rainfalls in the Kankakee River. Peotone and parts of Kankakee were also impacted.

“We saw runoff from spring agricultural fertilization getting into the river, which elevates nitrates in the river,” said Aqua Illinois President David Carter.

During the alert that has now ended, Aqua Illinois said infants under the age of 6 months should not use the water. But given the history of the water, many adults refused to risk drinking it either.

SEE ALSO | University Park residents still using bottled water 4 years after lead found in drinking water

The village sold its water rights to Aqua Illinois decades ago, well before Jospeh Roudez III became mayor.

“We need control of our system. It’s never going to change,” Roudez said.

The mayor told residents on Monday morning that he is making an effort to buy the water back, which, Roudez admits, could cost millions of dollars, funds the village does not have.

“My ask of the company is to come to the table and give us the opportunity to purchase back the water rights,” Roudez said.

Earlier this week, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency said it was “working closely with representatives from Aqua Illinois following the Nitrate detection above the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) of 10 milligrams per liter (mg/L) in the Kankakee River.”

Aqua Illinois’ water bottle distributions have now ended as they say customers can resume consuming drinking water as normal.

SEE ALSO | Customers fight Illinois American, Aqua Illinois rate hike request, say water bills already too high