Highland, IL: 1 Health Violation - Home Safety 75/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Highland: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Highland's tap water quality puts it in IL's upper tier - health-based violations are rare and the compliance record is consistently above average.
How Highland Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Highland Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 12 violations in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 52% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.16 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Highland
Highland, IL draws its residential water from 3 separate providers among the 3 federally tracked systems. Each operates independently, with its own infrastructure, rate structure, and compliance record.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Highland, Illinois, covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 16,550 people. 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. 1 health-based violation appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Highland: B (75/100)
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
Highland water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0000 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 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Lead | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2037 | Other | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 62249 | B | 12 | 1 | Highland |
All ZIP Codes in Highland
- 62249 [B] - 12 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.
Health Outcomes in Highland
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 Highland Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Highland
With 52% 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
Highland's housing stock is predominantly older, with a median build year of 1985 that reflects decades of construction before federal plumbing standards were tightened. The 1986 ban on lead solder and the pre-1970 era of lead service lines are both relevant benchmarks here - a significant share of the residential inventory predates one or both of those cutoffs, creating an elevated baseline for plumbing-related lead risk that aggregate water quality data may not fully reflect at the household level.
Over half of homes in Highland 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 Highland Homeowners
Across the Highland housing market, the estimated remediation share lands in a middle tier - not a minor footnote, but not a prohibitive burden either; the cost-to-value ratio reflects a moderate equity commitment, one that sits above routine maintenance territory and warrants a dedicated line in the household budget.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Highland. The estimated $1,250–$4,000 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 20% above the Illinois average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Highland
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.
52% of Highland housing dates to the pre-rule era, alongside aggregate readings hovering at the federal action mark - household-level confirmation through a draw-test kit fits the local picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Highland
Historical NFIP data for Highland contains 7 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $19,014. 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>$2,400</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Highland, IL