Buffalo Grove, IL: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 58/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Buffalo Grove: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Compared to top-scoring cities in IL, Buffalo Grove lands in the middle tier - some water systems meet standards cleanly, others carry documented violations, and performance can vary significantly across service areas.
How Buffalo Grove Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Buffalo Grove Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 37 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0075 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 64% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.18.
Buffalo Grove's Water Providers
Across Buffalo Grove, IL, residential water comes from 3 primary utilities rather than a single consolidated provider. Each system operates independently - managing its own distribution infrastructure, rate schedules, and EPA compliance filings. Federal records track 5 water systems in the area, with these top providers accounting for the majority of residential connections.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Buffalo Grove, Illinois (population ~42,781), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 193,175 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Buffalo Grove: C (58/100)
Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| PFAS MCL Screen | UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
| Annual AQI | EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days |
Water Sources
Buffalo Grove water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0075 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 12 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Gross Beta | Radionuclides | 6 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60089 | C | 37 | 0 | Buffalo Grove |
All ZIP Codes in Buffalo Grove
- 60089 [C] - 37 violations
Data Sources
- Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
- Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
- Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
Buffalo Grove Community Health Snapshot
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
What's in Buffalo Grove's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Buffalo Grove Infrastructure Age
With 64% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Plumbing risk in older housing is defined by two eras: the pre-1970 period when lead pipes were commonly used for service lines, and the 1970-to-1986 period when lead solder remained standard in copper plumbing until the federal ban. Buffalo Grove's median build year of 1988 lands in a range where both eras are heavily represented in the housing stock. That creates an elevated aggregate environment for plumbing-related lead exposure - one that city-level water quality averages don't capture, because the risk sits inside individual properties rather than in the distribution system.
Over half of homes in Buffalo Grove were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Buffalo Grove
For most homeowners in Buffalo Grove, the estimated cost of water and safety remediation represents a proportionally modest share of what properties are worth - placing this area in the lower tier of the remediation share scale.
Remediation costs in Buffalo Grove are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 114% above the Illinois average.
Buffalo Grove: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Buffalo Grove have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 64% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Buffalo Grove: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Buffalo Grove contains 22 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $4,901. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.
How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$1,600</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.
Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.
Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.
What You Can Do in Buffalo Grove
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Surface Water Treatment Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Buffalo Grove's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 64% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Buffalo Grove, IL