Health Violations Found IL 1 HEALTH VIOLATION

Calumet City

EPA ID: IL0310390 · 37,000 people served · 4 ZIP codes

EPA compliance records for Calumet City show 3 unresolved violations — findings that remain open and are tracked at the federal level, covering a service territory of approximately 37,000 people.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

F · 39
Avg Safety Score
37,000
People Served
4
ZIP Codes Served
6
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0154 mg/L
Max Lead Level — Exceeds Limit
Zone 2
Radon Risk · Moderate
4
Contaminants Flagged
$161K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months

Violations went from 6 (2022) to 5 (2024). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Calumet City Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary — Grade F

Service Area Demographics

$57,791
Median Household Income
90,124
Service Area Population
46%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
40th
Energy Burden Percentile
90%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Calumet City serves a community with a median household income of $57,791 and an estimated 90,124 residents across its service area. Approximately 90% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

Environmental Justice Note: 46% of the population in this service area is classified as disadvantaged under EPA's EJScreen criteria. Communities with higher disadvantaged populations often face disproportionate environmental and health burdens, including aging water infrastructure and limited resources for remediation.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Calumet City's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
50th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
40th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Cook County, Illinois rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Infrastructure Risk

65 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
2 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 97% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Calumet City compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Surface Water Treatment Rule at 3 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Stage 2 DBP Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Lead and Copper Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.

PFAS Detected in Service Area

PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 3 detections recorded.

State limits: PFOA: 0.002 ppt, PFOS: 0.014 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Illinois

Hanover Park
37,470 people
B 1 violation
Carpentersville
37,983 people
C 0 violations
Addison
38,017 people
C 15 violations
Oswego
38,169 people
C 2 violations
North Park Pwd
35,580 people
D 1 violation

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Lead Pipe Replacement Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Lead Pipe Replacement $1,335
Flood Insurance $1,200
Radon Mitigation $400
PFAS Treatment $250
Water Filtration $225
Total Estimated Cost $3,410

Based on national averages for common remediation projects. Actual costs vary by property. Only issues flagged by EPA, FEMA, or state data for each ZIP code are included.

Cost of Inaction

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $1,000

Annual per household (CDC est.)

Lead Exposure — Child Lifetime Cost $10,000

Per affected child (EPA est.)

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$7,945
10 years
$15,890
20 years
$31,780

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $3,410 (one-time) vs. $15,890 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Calumet City (EPA ID: IL0310390) is a community water system in Illinois that serves approximately 37,000 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 4 ZIP codes across 4 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: F (39/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

1 health-based violation recorded in the past 5 years. 3 remain unresolved.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
August 2, 2025 Lead and Copper Rule Monitoring Unresolved
July 1, 2025 Surface Water Treatment Rule Monitoring Resolved
July 1, 2025 Consumer Confidence Report Rule Monitoring Unresolved
October 17, 2024 Stage 2 DBP Rule Health-based Unresolved
July 1, 2023 Surface Water Treatment Rule Monitoring Resolved

Contaminants Detected

The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Failure 3 No
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Failure 1 Yes
Lead and Copper Rule Treatment Failure 1 No
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting Failure 1 No

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data for ZIP codes served by this system:

ZIP Code Lead Level Exceeds Limit Sample Date
60409 0.0154 mg/L Yes N/A
Lead exceeds EPA action level in at least one sampling location. Consider using a certified NSF/ANSI 53 or NSF/ANSI 58 filter rated for lead removal.

Radon Risk in Service Area

Dominant radon zone for ZIP codes served by this system: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Need help with your water quality?

Typical cost: Water test: typically $20–$50 (DIY kit) · Professional inspection: $150–$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.

ZIP Codes Served

Coverage: Service area ZIP codes sourced from EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 (March 2026 release). These ZIPs reflect the actual deployment footprint recorded by IL or modeled from parcel and building-footprint data.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Calumet City (IL0310390) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Calumet City water safe to drink?

Calumet City has recorded 1 health-based violation in the past 5 years. While the system is required to treat water to meet federal standards, you may want to consider additional precautions such as a certified water filter.

How many people does Calumet City serve?

Calumet City serves approximately 37,000 people across 4 ZIP codes in Illinois.

Where does Calumet City get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Water Source & Treatment

Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.

Source
Purchased from another utility
Treated water purchased wholesale from another water system.
Disinfectant used
Chlorine

Source: CALUMET CITY Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.

Source water assessment from CALUMET CITY Consumer Confidence Report:
The source water assessment for our supply has been completed by the Illinois EPA. If you would like a copy of this information, please stop by City Hall or call our water operator at __________________. To view a summary version of the completed Source Water Assessments, including: Importance of Source Water; Susceptibility to Contamination Determination; and documentation/recommendation of Source Water Protection Efforts, you may access the Illinois EPA website at http://www.epa.state.il.us/cgi-bin/wp/swap-fact-sheets.pl.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Standard
Disinfection plus one or more treatment additives — typically corrosion control, pH adjustment, or fluoridation. Standard regime for utilities serving treated municipal water.

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from CALUMET CITY Consumer Confidence Report.

Treatment intensity is a ZipCheckup-derived classification based on the chemicals and processes the utility reports. Chemicals and contamination sources are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR filing. Routine federal monitoring and contaminant testing shown elsewhere on this page determine whether the water meets safety standards, not the treatment classification.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Detected

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). PFAS compounds were detected below the current state-enforceable MCL.

Samples collected
232
Detections
2
Latest sample
9/16/2024
Highest analyte
PFPeA: 3.2 ppt
Analyte Max detected Current MCL Status
PFPeA 3.2 ppt
PFHxA 3 ppt

Current MCL reflects the lowest state-enforceable limit (NYS 10 ppt for PFOA/PFOS, effective August 2020). The federal final MCL of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (EPA April 2024 rule) is not enforceable until April 2029. Detections above 4 ppt but below 10 ppt are below current MCL but above the future federal limit.

Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

4,121
Confirmed Lead
0
Galvanized — Replacement Required
1,226
Unknown Material
4,381
Confirmed Non-Lead

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2025-07-01 did not exceed the federal lead action level.
Reporting compliance issue flagged by EPA under Rule 2E.
Population served: 37,000
Reported to Illinois

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Service Line Inventory (Phase 2) · Submitted 2026

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with the utility or state agency. Inventory figures render verbatim from the public LCRI submission cited above; ZipCheckup does not perform inspections or replacements.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Notable events and violations

This section summarizes events the utility chose to disclose in its most recent Consumer Confidence Report, plus any federal compliance violations the utility recorded against itself. Both lists are utility-authored — ZipCheckup does not audit, judge, or reorder them.

Federal compliance violations on record

These entries are taken verbatim from the utility's CCR violations section. EPA defines four broad violation categories: Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL), Treatment Technique (TT), Monitoring & Reporting (M&R), and Public Notification (PN).

  • reporting
    2023-07-01
    We failed to provide to you, our drinking water customers, an annual report that adequately informed you about the quality of our drinking water and the risks from exposure to contaminants detected in our drinking water.

Violations record from CALUMET CITY Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup note: items above reflect what the utility published in its most recent CCR. Federal violation records are also tracked separately by the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) — the SDWIS record is the authoritative federal source for any specific regulatory action.

How Water Systems Appear in Rankings

Water systems are evaluated by violation history, contaminant detections, and service population. Larger systems with more service connections appear in more rankings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Calumet City safe to drink?
Calumet City has a F safety grade based on 6 recorded violations. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Calumet City's water?
Detected contaminants include Surface Water Treatment Rule, Stage 2 DBP Rule, Lead and Copper Rule, Consumer Confidence Report Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 4 contaminants above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Calumet City serve?
Calumet City serves approximately 37,000 people with drinking water across 4 ZIP codes.
What is Calumet City's water source?
Calumet City draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Calumet City's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0154 mg/L. This exceeds the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L. A lead-certified filter is recommended, especially for homes with young children.
What is the demographic profile of Calumet City's service area?
The Calumet City service area has a median household income of $57,791. EPA EJScreen data classifies 46% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Calumet City get its water?
Calumet City's water is drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs. Surface water sources are more exposed to agricultural runoff, stormwater, and upstream discharges, but they typically receive more intensive treatment before reaching your tap. Based on violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is currently elevated.

What You Can Do

1

Test your water

Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Calumet City (EPA ID: IL0310390) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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