Rockford, IL: 3 Health Violations - Home Safety 61/100
14 ZIP codes · 9 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Rockford: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Recent monitoring in Rockford shows middle-tier safety for IL - some systems are clean; others have logged EPA violations.
How Rockford Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Water Quality Map: Rockford, IL
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
How ZIP codes in Rockford score across all safety grades.
What You Should Know About Rockford Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 31 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0073 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 71% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,743 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 14.43 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Rockford
Multiple utilities divide Rockford, IL's water service - 3 leading providers among 9 on the federal register.
- C
- D
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 14 ZIP codes in Rockford, Illinois, covering 9 community water systems serving approximately 178,644 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 9 of 14 ZIP codes.
9 of 9 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Rockford: C (61/100)
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
Rockford water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0073 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 9 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 14 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant 2959 | Other | 20 | 9 |
| Lead | Inorganic | 12 | 9 |
| Gross Beta | Radionuclides | 11 | 3 |
| Contaminant 2031 | Other | 10 | 9 |
| Contaminant 2041 | Other | 10 | 9 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61109 | C | 23 | 2 | Rockford |
| 61102 | C | 18 | 1 | Rockford |
| 61108 | C | 16 | 2 | Rockford |
| 61112 | C | 15 | 2 | Rockford |
| 61101 | C | 10 | 0 | Rockford |
| 61103 | D | 10 | 0 | Rockford |
| 61104 | — | 10 | 0 | Rockford |
| 61107 | C | 10 | 0 | Rockford |
| 61114 | C | 10 | 0 | Rockford |
All ZIP Codes in Rockford
- 61101 [C] - 10 violations
- 61102 [C] - 18 violations ⚠
- 61103 [D] - 10 violations
- 61104 - 10 violations
- 61105
- 61106
- 61107 [C] - 10 violations
- 61108 [C] - 16 violations ⚠
- 61109 [C] - 23 violations ⚠
- 61110
- 61112 [C] - 15 violations ⚠
- 61114 [C] - 10 violations
- 61125
- 61126
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 Rockford
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 Rockford Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Rockford
With 71% 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
Housing age is one of the most reliable proxies for plumbing-era lead risk, because two federal milestones - the widespread use of lead pipes before 1970 and the continued use of lead solder until 1986 - define the highest-risk tiers of the residential housing stock. With a median build year of 1961, Rockford falls squarely within the older range - meaning a large fraction of the housing was built under the plumbing standards of those earlier eras. The distribution above captures where that risk concentrates, and why older neighborhoods warrant particular attention from residents concerned about tap water quality.
Over half of homes in Rockford 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 Rockford Homeowners
The Rockford remediation share exceeds what lower-tier markets face - the cost-to-value ratio here is elevated, and the household financial perspective reflects a commitment that most homeowners need to plan for explicitly.
At 2.2% of home value, remediation costs in Rockford represent a significant financial burden. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $1,764–$3,936. Home values here are 32% below the Illinois average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Rockford
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.
71% - that captures the slice of Rockford housing dating from before the federal ban on solder containing lead. It pairs with aggregate utility readings that either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L, the benchmark set under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule. Together, the two figures shift one-home reads into a standard household-level confirmation, particularly for families with kids. A certified lead-removal filter is available through retailer-verified channels if a kit returns results that warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Rockford
Historical NFIP data for Rockford contains 821 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $20,124. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 56% 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>$2,743</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.
What You Can Do in Rockford
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Contaminant 2959 can reduce the most common contaminant found in Rockford's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 71% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Rockford, IL