Chicago
EPA ID: IL0316000 · 2,721,308 people served · 59 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Chicago (IL0316000): 10 violations on record since 2021. Chicago's EPA record lists 10 historical violations, and none is listed as open in that record; the utility supplies water to 2,721,308 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Chicago Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: B
Demographics of ZIP Codes Served
The ZIP codes associated with Chicago have a median household income of $77,841 and about 2,840,233 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 78% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: On average, 46% of census tracts in the counties mapped to this service area are designated disadvantaged by the federal Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST, 2022 version). 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?
Chicago'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.
Infrastructure Risk
PFAS in ZIP Codes This System Serves
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been reported in samples from water systems associated with the ZIP codes in this system's area. These results can come from other water systems serving the same ZIP codes; check the UCMR5 section for any results reported for this system. 1 detection recorded.
Estimated Remediation Costs
Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system
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
Chicago (EPA ID: IL0316000) is a community water system in Illinois that serves approximately 2,721,308 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 59 ZIP codes across 4 communities.
ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (71/100)
This is the average Home Safety Score for 56 of 59 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
Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 9 resolved, 1 archived, 0 addressed, and 0 unaddressed. Under this source contract, current noncompliance is the sum of addressed and unaddressed records. Archived and resolved records are excluded from current noncompliance.
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2, 2025 | LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| May 1, 2025 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Dinoseb | Non-health-based | Archived |
| July 1, 2024 | CARBON, TOTAL | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | CARBON, TOTAL | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | CARBON, TOTAL | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | CARBON, TOTAL | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| December 30, 2021 | Lead and Copper Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| July 1, 2021 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARBON, TOTAL | Monitoring & Reporting | 4 | No |
| Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| Dinoseb | Other Violation | 1 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring & Reporting | 1 | No |
| LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS | Monitoring & Reporting | 1 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Other (notice or report rule) | 1 | No |
Lead & Copper
EPA Lead and Copper Rule evidence attributed directly to this water system:
| Lead Level | Exceeds Action Level | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|
| 0.007 mg/L | No | 2026-06-30 |
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
59 of 59 ZIP records with known zones are 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.
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.
This system serves 59 ZIP codes:
60601 · 60602 · 60603 · 60604 · 60605 60606 · 60607 · 60608 · 60609 · 60610 60611 · 60612 · 60613 · 60614 · 60615 60616 · 60617 · 60618 · 60619 · 60620 60621 · 60622 · 60623 · 60624 · 60625 60626 · 60628 · 60629 · 60630 · 60631 60632 · 60633 · 60634 · 60636 · 60637 60638 · 60639 · 60640 · 60641 · 60642 60643 · 60644 · 60645 · 60646 · 60647 60649 · 60651 · 60652 · 60653 · 60654 60655 · 60656 · 60657 · 60659 · 60660 60661 · 60707 · 60804 · 60827
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Chicago (IL0316000) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chicago water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows no current noncompliance for Chicago; its 10 accepted 2021-2026 records are resolved or archived. Historical compliance status does not establish conditions at a specific tap.
How many people does Chicago serve?
Chicago serves approximately 2,721,308 people across 59 ZIP codes in Illinois.
Where does Chicago get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Federal UCMR5 PFAS Monitoring: No PFAS Reported Above Reporting Levels
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were reported above UCMR5 minimum reporting levels.
EPA's April 2024 PFAS rule sets MCLs of 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA and HFPO-DA (GenX); water systems must comply from 2029. Other PFAS compounds have no individual federal MCL. A state standard is shown only where this system's state has its own enforceable PFAS limit. Detection results are EPA UCMR5 samples, not a measurement at your tap.
Source: U.S. EPA UCMR5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, 5th cycle) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →
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.
- #17 / 100 Highest Exposure Burden (U.S.)
- #27 / 50 Most Disadvantaged Populations Served (Illinois)
- #1 / 50 Highest Exposure Burden (Illinois)
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Chicago (IL): 10 EPA Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/il0316000/
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title = {{Chicago (IL): 10 EPA Violations}},
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url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/il0316000/}
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What You Can Do
Test your water
Home test kits can detect lead, bacteria, and other contaminants at your tap. Find the right filter →
Check your specific ZIP code
Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →
Contact your utility
Chicago (EPA ID: IL0316000) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.