Chillicothe, IL: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 39/100
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Chillicothe: F.
Federal data flags serious home-safety risks for this ZIP.
Your top priority: see the breakdown below and consider a certified water filter. NSF certified filters →
Across Chillicothe, EPA compliance records fall well below IL averages - documented health-based violations affect multiple service areas, and the city's sustained low grade reflects a persistent pattern across reporting cycles.
How Chillicothe Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Chillicothe Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 29 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.009 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 68% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,000 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.2 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Chillicothe
3 independent water providers serve Chillicothe, IL - 4 systems appear in federal records.
- F
- F
- F
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Chillicothe, Illinois (population ~10,188), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 144,486 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 Chillicothe: F (39/100)
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
Chillicothe water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0090 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 1 (High 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 | 6 | 1 |
| Atrazine | Organic | 2 | 1 |
| PFOA | PFAS | 2 | 1 |
| PFNA | PFAS | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61523 | F | 29 | 0 | Chillicothe |
All ZIP Codes in Chillicothe
- 61523 [F] - 29 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.
CDC Health Data for Chillicothe
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
Key Contaminants Detected in Chillicothe
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Chillicothe's Housing Stock?
With 68% 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
Heavily weighted toward older construction, Chillicothe's housing stock carries a median build year of 1979. That profile puts a majority of homes in the era when lead-soldered copper plumbing was standard practice.
Over half of homes in Chillicothe 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.
Chillicothe: Remediation Cost in Perspective
How does remediation fit within the broader financial picture for Chillicothe homeowners? The equity share is moderate - large enough that treating it as a real planning consideration makes sense, and manageable enough that most homeowners have a clear path to addressing documented water and safety issues when they approach the commitment with deliberate advance budgeting rather than as an unplanned expense.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Chillicothe. The estimated $2,000–$4,100 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 18% below the Illinois average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Chillicothe
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.
Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 68% pre-rule share in Chillicothe keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Chillicothe
Historical NFIP data for Chillicothe contains 1,133 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $9,889. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% 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>$3,000</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 Chillicothe
- 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 Chillicothe's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 68% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Chillicothe, IL