Chicago, IL: 86 Health Violations — 68/100 (2026)
86 ZIP codes · 15 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
In recent monitoring cycles, Chicago tap water shows a mixed record for IL — several systems have documented violations alongside areas with clean compliance histories.
How Chicago Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Water Quality Map: Chicago, IL
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Safety grade breakdown for Chicago's 86 ZIP codes.
Key Facts for Chicago Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 1634 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0093 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 77% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,571 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.21.
Chicago's Water Providers
Multiple utilities divide Chicago, IL's water service — 3 leading providers among 15 on the federal register.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 86 ZIP codes in Chicago, Illinois, covering 15 community water systems serving approximately 2,691,226 people.
86 of 86 ZIP codes (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 86 health-based violations documented.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Chicago: C (68/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Chicago water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0093 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 86 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Beta | Radionuclides | 522 | 86 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 261 | 86 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 174 | 86 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 174 | 86 |
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 174 | 86 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60290 | C | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60601 | B | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60602 | B | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60603 | B | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60604 | B | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60605 | C | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60606 | B | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60607 | B | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60608 | B | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
| 60609 | C | 19 | 1 | Chicago |
All ZIP Codes in Chicago
- 60290 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60601 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60602 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60603 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60604 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60605 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60606 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60607 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60608 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60609 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60610 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60611 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60612 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60613 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60614 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60615 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60616 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60617 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60618 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60619 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60620 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60621 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60622 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60623 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60624 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60625 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60626 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60628 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60629 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60630 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60631 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60632 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60633 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60634 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60636 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60637 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60638 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60639 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60640 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60641 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60642 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60643 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60644 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60645 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60646 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60647 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60649 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60651 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60652 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60653 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60654 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60655 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60656 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60657 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60659 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60660 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60661 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60664 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60666 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60668 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60669 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60670 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60673 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60674 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60675 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60677 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60678 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60679 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60680 [B] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60681 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60682 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60684 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60685 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60686 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60687 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60688 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60689 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60690 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60691 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60693 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60694 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60695 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60696 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60697 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60699 [C] — 19 violations ⚠
- 60701 [B] — 19 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
Updated daily.
Chicago 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 Chicago's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Chicago Infrastructure Age
With 77% 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
Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Chicago — it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1950 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Chicago 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 Chicago
Equity impact data for Chicago lands in the favorable tier — remediation claims a small slice of what properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in Chicago are relatively low compared to home values. The $734–$2,714 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 87% above the Illinois average.
Chicago: 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.
Despite citywide averages serving as the standard public reference point, those aggregates cannot resolve what is happening at one specific faucet — and where 77% of Chicago homes come from before the solder rule or where utility samples sit at or above the action mark, the gap between system data and faucet reality matters more than it does in lower-exposure communities. An in-home draw closes that gap, with certified filtration through retailer networks available where confirmed faucet results warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Chicago: Flood History & Water Damage Risk
Chicago's flood profile — 944 NFIP claims over the program's multi-decade period and 64% of ZIP codes within FEMA-designated flood zones — reflects a community where flooding has shaped the local risk landscape in sustained ways. That sustained exposure has specific consequences for water quality that don't apply to lower-exposure areas. Treatment facilities handling intake from flood-saturated watersheds face contaminant loads that can exceed normal filtration capacity. Private wells in FEMA-designated zones face surface infiltration risk during every significant event. Distribution systems in areas that flood repeatedly accumulate backflow stress over time. None of these represent constant threats to water quality, but they are activated by the kinds of events that the NFIP record shows have occurred here, repeatedly, over many years.
Chicago has a significant flood history with 944 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $7,454 per claim. With 64% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,571</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
What You Can Do in Chicago
- 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 Gross Beta can reduce the most common contaminant found in Chicago's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 77% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Chicago, IL