'No Need For That': Roseland Pumping Station Problems Persist, Upsetting Business Owners, Residents

CHICAGO (CBS) -- For weeks CBS 2 has been reporting on problems at the Roseland Pumping Station.

But now local business owners tells CBS 2 it's more than just an inconvenience.

CBS 2's Tara Molina reports some have lost water three times now: Three times in the past six weeks, and most recently, this week.

CBS 2 has heard from business owners who want answers now, but city officials keep playing the blame game.

Since 1960...

"It's a little institution in Beverly."

The people at Janson's Drive-In know how to roll with the punches.

But no water? Then a boil water notice?

"You lose revenue and inconvenience to the customer," said Gus Pettas, owner of Janson's Drive In.

Pettas said they've found safe ways to stay open through the issues.

"We have to adjust. Our fountain. Our procedures. Making soups for the day, we have to eliminate that," Pettas said.

Now he wants the city to find out what the problem is and make sure it doesn't affect them again.

Thousands of Beverly and Morgan Park residents, and business owners, feel the same way.

CBS 2 spoke with them when the water went out Tuesday.

"We don't feel we have enough communication,"  said longtime Beverly resident Ed Oller.

But the city's water department still doesn't have answers for residents, or business owners like Gus Pettas.

A spokesperson said it is still investigating what they call "recent power issues at Roseland."

Issues ComEd claimed don't exist.

CBS 2 doubled back with them on Friday. A spokesperson said, once again, there was no loss of power to the station earlier this month or this week when it failed.

The city hasn't acknowledged that.

Regardless of where the problem lies, Gus Pettas said they need to figure out what's going on at the 110-year-old station sooner rather than later.

"They need to do a little better planning with their infrastructure," Pettas said. "We pay enough for our water bill. Property tax. There's no need for that."

Through a spokesperson, the Illinois EPA released a statement:

"The only additional information I have is regarding the water quality sampling, which has been submitted to the Agency. Water quality monitoring (turbidity and chlorine monitoring) continue to show good levels. All bacteriological sample results have been negative."

The city's water department said no update since this statement, they continue to call it a power issue:

"DWM is in the process of a full investigation around the recent power issues at Roseland. We are pulling and analyzing data and will issue a statement when we reach a determination of the cause."

ComEd reiterated this statement from Tuesday. A spokesperson said nothing has changed and they "provided energy reliably to the station all day on Tuesday."

"ComEd did not have a power outage affecting Roseland pumping station today and did not perform work at or near the station. Power has been flowing to the station normally throughout the day. We have offered the assistance of our engineering team to investigate the cause of the interruption. Our review of the pumping station outage earlier this month concluded there was no loss of power to the station."