Water System Report IL

Evanston

EPA ID: IL0310810 ยท 74,486 people served ยท 3 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Evanston (IL0310810): no EPA violations recorded in the last five years. Five years of EPA monitoring have produced no violations for Evanston - the supplier serving 74,486 residents has kept every contaminant level within federal limits, a result that places it among the top-performing utilities for systems with a service population of comparable size.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 75
Avg Safety Score
74,486
People Served
3
ZIP Codes Served
0
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.0022 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 2
Radon Risk ยท Moderate
0
Contaminants Flagged
$480K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Service Area Map

Coverage area for Evanston Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.

Service area boundary - Grade B

Service Area Demographics

$96,594
Median Household Income
76,552
Service Area Population
46%
Disadvantaged Population
50th
Poverty Percentile
40th
Energy Burden Percentile
75%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Evanston serves a community with a median household income of $96,594 and an estimated 76,552 residents across its service area. Approximately 75% 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.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Evanston'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.

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

Infrastructure Risk

59 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Pipe Material
10 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 86% of expected lifespan used End of life

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Illinois

B 0 violations
Arlington Heights
73,320 people
C 25 violations
Schaumburg
75,750 people
B 3 violations
Decatur
76,122 people
C 1 violation
Bloomington
77,610 people
D 2 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation
Flood Insurance $800
Radon Mitigation $400
Total Estimated Cost $1,200

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.

System Overview

Evanston (EPA ID: IL0310810) is a community water system in Illinois that serves approximately 74,486 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 1 community.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (75/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 2 of 3 service-area ZIP codes with all required score domains observed. It is not a grade for the water utility.

Model 4.0.0 uses SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the UCMR 5 PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AirData AQI across three equally weighted domains. Missing required evidence suppresses the score.

Violation History

No accepted violation records in the 2021-2026 window - The accepted EPA ECHO 2026Q2 snapshot contains zero violation records for this system whose record year falls from 2021 through 2026, inclusive. This is not a tap-water safety guarantee.

Lead & Copper

EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.0022 mg/L No N/A

No copper action-level exceedance record appears for this PWSID in the accepted LCR snapshot. This does not establish a clean copper measurement.

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 $20โ€“$50 (DIY kit) ยท Professional inspection: $150โ€“$400

Find the Right Water Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking โ€” 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 Evanston (IL0310810) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Evanston water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot contains zero violation records for Evanston in the inclusive 2021-2026 record-year window. This is a compliance-record finding, not a guarantee about water at a specific tap.

How many people does Evanston serve?

Evanston serves approximately 74,486 people across 3 ZIP codes in Illinois.

Where does Evanston get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: Tested Clean

This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.

Samples collected
116

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) โ€” per-system federal sampling, 2023โ€“2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program โ†’

Understand PFAS health context and filtration โ†’

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Evanston safe to drink?
Evanston earns a B safety grade with 0 violations in the past 5 years. Tap water meets EPA standards for most contaminants.
Should I use a water filter?
Evanston meets EPA standards, but a water filter can reduce trace contaminants below detectable levels for added peace of mind.
How many people does Evanston serve?
Evanston serves approximately 74,486 people with drinking water across 3 ZIP codes.
What is Evanston's water source?
Evanston draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Evanston's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.0022 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Evanston's service area?
The Evanston service area has a median household income of $96,594. EPA EJScreen data classifies 46% of the population as disadvantaged, which may indicate greater vulnerability to environmental health risks.
Where does Evanston get its water?
Evanston'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 available data, the source contamination risk is moderate.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Evanston, IL: Serves 74K People. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/il0310810/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-il0310810,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Evanston, IL: Serves 74K People}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/il0310810/}
}
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