Mount Prospect, IL: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 58/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Mount Prospect: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
For residents of Mount Prospect, IL, a C is a prompt to look up the report for their own ZIP code rather than a verdict on their tap.
How Mount Prospect Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Mount Prospect Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 48 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0111 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 84% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 11.18.
Who Supplies Your Water in Mount Prospect
The 3 largest of 5 systems connected with Mount Prospect, IL are listed below.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Mount Prospect, Illinois (population ~55,989), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 188,116 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 Mount Prospect: C (58/100)
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
Mount Prospect water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0111 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
1 of 1 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 2.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Reporting | 14 | 1 |
| Combined Radium (-226 and -228) | Radionuclides | 8 | 1 |
| Xylenes, Total | Organic | 4 | 1 |
| Benzene | Organic | 4 | 1 |
| Toluene | Organic | 4 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60056 | C | 48 | 0 | Mount Prospect |
All ZIP Codes in Mount Prospect
- 60056 [C] - 48 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 Mount Prospect
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Mount Prospect Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Mount Prospect
With 84% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. Federal law banned lead solder in drinking-water plumbing in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
If you live in one of the pre-1986 homes in Mount Prospect, a certified lab test for lead is the direct way to learn what your tap delivers; the median build year of 1962 is only context.
Over half of homes in Mount Prospect were built before 1986, when federal law began restricting lead solder in drinking-water plumbing. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Mount Prospect
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
84% of Mount Prospect homes were constructed before 1986, when federal law began limiting lead in pipes, solder and flux. Across the city's ZIP codes, water systems' 90th-percentile lead results average no less than 0.010 mg/L. That average can mix higher and lower systems, so it neither confirms nor rules out a problem at a single address; asking the utility how the home's service line is classified in its inventory is a practical next step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Mount Prospect
Historical NFIP data for Mount Prospect contains 177 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $8,806. 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.
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 Mount Prospect
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Consider testing your home's tap water for lead, since household plumbing can affect its level.
- Install a certified water filter. For Consumer Confidence Rule, listed in the water-quality records for Mount Prospect: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 84% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Mount Prospect, IL