Champaign, IL: 8 Violations - Home Safety 64/100
6 ZIP codes · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Champaign: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Compared to top-scoring cities in IL, Champaign lands in the middle tier - some water systems meet standards cleanly, others carry documented violations, and performance can vary significantly across service areas.
How Champaign Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Champaign Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 8 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.009 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.82.
Who Supplies Your Water in Champaign
At present, 3 utilities serve the bulk of Champaign, IL's residential water connections out of 5 systems active in the area, spread across independent providers with separate infrastructure and compliance obligations.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 6 ZIP codes in Champaign, Illinois (population ~95,565), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 175,560 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 3 of 6 ZIP codes.
2 of 3 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (67%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Champaign: C (64/100)
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
Champaign water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0090 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 3 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 6 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
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 | 6 | 2 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 3 | 2 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 2 | 1 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61822 | C | 8 | 0 | Il American-champaign |
| 61820 | C | 2 | 0 | Il American-champaign |
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61821 | C | Il American-champaign | 150,000 |
All ZIP Codes in Champaign
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.
Health Outcomes in Champaign
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
Top Contaminants in Champaign Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Champaign Homeowners
Property equity in Champaign sits at a moderate ratio to estimated remediation costs - a classification that reframes the household financial perspective from routine maintenance to deliberate budgeting, where most homeowners have a realistic path to addressing documented water and safety issues if they map the financial commitment against available resources before committing to scope.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Champaign. The estimated $1,200–$2,400 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 4% below the Illinois average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Champaign
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.
Lead risk in Champaign appears low overall, but individual homes may differ. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Champaign
Historical NFIP data for Champaign contains 120 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $6,992. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 33% 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>$1,800</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 Champaign
- 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 Champaign's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead solder in pipes. A licensed plumber can assess your risk.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Champaign, IL