Downers Grove, IL Water Safety: 73/100 (2026)
2 ZIP codes · 10 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Water systems in Downers Grove, IL serve households with few reported safety events.
How Downers Grove Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
What You Should Know About Downers Grove Water
- Average lead level: 0.0021 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 75% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.67.
Who Supplies Your Water in Downers Grove
Residential water in Downers Grove, IL is supplied by 3 separate utilities — not one centralized authority. Each of those providers operates under its own service territory boundary, maintains its own distribution infrastructure, and files compliance documentation with the EPA on its own timeline. Federal data counts 10 water systems in the area, with these providers collectively accounting for the dominant share of household connections.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 2 ZIP codes in Downers Grove, Illinois (population ~57,639), covering 10 community water systems serving approximately 242,173 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Downers Grove — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Downers Grove: B (73/100)
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
Downers Grove water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0021 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): 2 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
All ZIP Codes in Downers Grove
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.
Health Outcomes in Downers Grove
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
Housing & Infrastructure in Downers Grove
With 75% 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
The lead that enters tap water in older homes often comes not from the municipal supply but from the home's own plumbing — from solder used in copper joints before the 1986 federal ban, or from lead pipes installed before 1970. In Downers Grove, where the median build year is 1968, these older materials are widespread. More than half the residential stock predates the 1986 solder ban, and a significant fraction predates 1970 as well. For residents in those homes, the city-wide water quality picture is a less relevant frame than the specific materials inside their own walls and under their own street.
Over half of homes in Downers 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.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Downers Grove Homeowners
When estimated remediation is placed alongside median property values in Downers Grove, the resulting ratio is low — a finding consistent with a household financial perspective where documented issues can be addressed without a meaningful impact on overall equity position, making this market one of the more favorable contexts for remediation planning.
Remediation costs in Downers 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 146% above the Illinois average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Downers Grove
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.
Locally, 75% of Downers Grove homes carry interior plumbing from the era when lead solder was still permitted in new builds, and citywide monitoring approaches or crosses the EPA action benchmark. Households can find a draw-test kit and certified filtration through verified retailers.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Downers Grove
Taken together, Downers Grove's 155 NFIP flood insurance claims and 100% FEMA flood zone coverage place it in the moderate range of exposure. That middle position has specific implications for water quality. The contamination pathways that flooding can open — surface water overwhelming treatment facility intake, floodwaters infiltrating private wells, distribution pressure changes creating backflow — are not constant risks in a moderate-exposure community. But they do become active during significant flood events, and the claim record here indicates enough of those events to make flood timing an occasional factor in local water quality conversations.
Downers Grove has a moderate flood history with 155 FEMA claims averaging $11,092 per payout. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
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>$1,600</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Downers Grove, IL