Unlike many cities its size in IL, Lake Forest keeps health-based violation rates low - systems here score at or above the state average for tap water safety, with no systemic concerns flagged in the current data set.

Data: EPA SDWIS

Overview

We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Lake Forest, Illinois (population ~20,957), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 91,015 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 Lake Forest: B (81/100)

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

Lake Forest water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.

Lead & Copper

• Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0050 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

Areas with Most Violations

All ZIP Codes in Lake Forest

• 60045 [B] - 5 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.

Housing Age Profile

Heavily weighted toward older construction, Lake Forest's housing stock carries a median build year of 1973. That profile puts a majority of homes in the era when lead-soldered copper plumbing was standard practice.

1973

Median Year Built

64%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

27%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (27%) 1970–1986 (37%) Post-1986 (36%)

Over half of homes in Lake Forest 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 Lake Forest

In Lake Forest, the equity impact of remediation is proportionally small - not the kind of financial commitment that rises to the level of a genuine planning constraint, but a minor share of what most properties here are worth.

Median Home Value

$899,200

Est. Remediation

$1,900

Remediation as % of home value 0.2%

Remediation costs in Lake Forest are relatively low compared to home values. The $950–$3,200 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 389% above the Illinois average.

Lake Forest: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations

64%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.005

mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

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.

Older stock in Lake Forest represents 64% of the inventory, and citywide monitoring runs at or above the federal action level - making an in-home read a standard household-level step.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.

Lake Forest: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context

42

Total FEMA Flood Claims

$8,737

Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data

0%

A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Lake Forest contains 42 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $8,737. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% 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>$1,900</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.