Hickory Hills, IL Water Safety: 70/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Across Hickory Hills, EPA monitoring data shows low violation rates and healthy safety margins — a pattern that places the city well above IL's average for drinking water compliance across recent reporting cycles.
How Hickory Hills Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Hickory Hills Water: The Quick Version
- Homes built before 1986: 78% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.18.
Water Systems Serving Hickory Hills
Water service in Hickory Hills, IL is split across 3 utilities out of 4 tracked federally, each operating its own infrastructure and compliance record.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Hickory Hills, Illinois (population ~14,674), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 67,959 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Hickory Hills — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Hickory Hills: B (70/100)
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
Hickory Hills water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Hickory Hills
- 0 ZIP codes 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.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60457 | B | Hickory Hills | 14,505 |
All ZIP Codes in Hickory Hills
- 60457 [B]
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.
CDC Health Data for Hickory Hills
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
How Old Is Hickory Hills's Housing Stock?
With 78% 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
While newer cities carry lower aggregate plumbing risk from lead-era construction, Hickory Hills sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1961 indicates that more than half the housing stock was built before 1986, when lead solder was still legally used in residential copper plumbing — and a substantial portion likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still commonly installed for service lines. These two thresholds together define the elevated plumbing risk environment that older housing cities carry, independent of what the municipal water supply delivers to the meter.
Over half of homes in Hickory Hills 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.
Hickory Hills: Remediation Cost in Perspective
When remediation costs are measured against Hickory Hills home values, the resulting ratio is in the low tier — addressing documented water and safety issues here claims only a minor fraction of typical equity, and most homeowners are in a position where the financial commitment is straightforward rather than a material burden on their household budget.
Remediation costs in Hickory Hills are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 51% above the Illinois average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Hickory Hills
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.
Although utility-side compliance with federal Lead and Copper requirements remains the system reference, that compliance does not extend down into interior plumbing. With 78% of Hickory Hills stock built before the solder ban and aggregate readings at or beyond the action mark, a household-level sample becomes the practical way to close that information gap.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Hickory Hills
Although Hickory Hills's flood history doesn't reach high-severity thresholds, NFIP data documents 21 claims and FEMA maps place 100% of ZIP codes in designated flood zones — a combined profile that makes flood-related water quality considerations a reasonable planning baseline.
Hickory Hills has a moderate flood history with 21 FEMA claims averaging $14,326 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 Hickory Hills, IL