Chicago
EPA ID: IL0316000 · 2,746,388 people served · 90 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA SDWIS for Chicago (IL0316000): 5 unresolved EPA violations on record. Not yet resolved: 5 EPA violations at Chicago, affecting about 2,746,388 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Chicago Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary - Grade C
Service Area Demographics
The Chicago serves a community with a median household income of $78,200 and an estimated 2,879,460 residents across its service area. Approximately 78% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 45% 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?
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
Detected Contaminants
How Chicago 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 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Lead and Copper Rule at 2 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Fecal Coliform at 2 presence exceeds the EPA maximum of presence.
PFAS Detected in Service Area
PFAS ("forever chemicals") have been detected in water serving this system's area. 1 detection recorded.
Chlorite was detected in this water system. ferrous sulfate reduction filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →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 2,746,388 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 90 ZIP codes across 5 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: C (68/100)
Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.
Violation History
Recent Violations
| Date | Contaminant | Type | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2, 2025 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Gross Beta | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| June 15, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| May 1, 2025 | Fecal Coliform | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Fecal Coliform | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Chlorite | Monitoring | Resolved |
| June 8, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| April 1, 2024 | Gross Beta | Health-based | Resolved |
| March 1, 2023 | Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross Beta | Radionuclides | 6 | Yes |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 3 | No |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 2 | No |
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 2 | No |
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 1 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 1 | No |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting Failure | 1 | No |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60290 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60601 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60602 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60603 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60604 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60605 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60606 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60607 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60608 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60609 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60610 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60611 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60612 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60613 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60614 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60615 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60616 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60617 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60618 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 60619 | 0.0093 mg/L | No | N/A |
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 FilterFree tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — this helps flush lead from your pipes.
ZIP Codes Served
Coverage: 60 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 30 additional ZIPs inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
This system serves 90 ZIP codes:
60068 · 60290 · 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 · 60664 · 60666 60668 · 60669 · 60670 · 60673 · 60674 60675 · 60677 · 60678 · 60679 · 60680 60681 · 60682 · 60684 · 60685 · 60686 60687 · 60688 · 60689 · 60690 · 60691 60693 · 60694 · 60695 · 60696 · 60697 60699 · 60701 · 60707 · 60804 · 60827
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Chicago (IL0316000) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chicago water safe to drink?
Chicago 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 Chicago serve?
Chicago serves approximately 2,746,388 people across 90 ZIP codes in Illinois.
Where does Chicago get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
Consumer Confidence Report (CCR)
Every community water system is required to provide an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) to customers. The most recent report is from 2024.
Contact Your Water Utility
Public-record contact information for the water utility serving this system. Use these channels to request water quality reports, ask about service, or report issues directly.
Contact information from City Of Chicago Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility, does not act as its agent, and does not provide customer support for it. Contact details shown are public-record information from CCR filings. For service issues, contact the utility directly using the information above.
Water Source & Treatment
Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.
Source: City Of Chicago Consumer Confidence Report.
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.
The Illinois EPA considers all surface water sources of community water supply to be susceptible to potential pollution problems. The very nature of surface water allows contaminants to migrate into the intake with no protection, only dilution. This is the reason for mandatory treatment of all surface water supplies in Illinois.
Treatment regime
How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.
Treatment chemicals and what each one does
Chemical names are reported verbatim by the utility. Purpose categories are ZipCheckup annotations based on standard drinking-water treatment practice.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from City Of Chicago 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: Tested Clean
This water system was tested under the federal EPA Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). No PFAS compounds were detected.
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 →
The City is offering several replacement programs that address both the public and private side of services - in many cases for free! Details about our LSLR programs on the next page...
Lead Service Line Replacement Tracker
This water utility's lead service line (LSL) replacement program is tracked from public Consumer Confidence Report filings. Email signup notifies subscribers when the utility files an updated replacement plan or progress milestone.
City Of Chicago
ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. LSL replacement-program data is sourced from public CCR filings published by the utility. Subscription notifications are based on automated parsing of subsequent CCR releases.
Learn more about Lead and Copper Rule replacement requirements →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.
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.
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).
-
monitoring · TOC [TOTAL ORGANIC CARBON]2024-07-01 - 2024-09-30
DWM collected all required samples per regulations. The Illinois EPA laboratory analyzed but did not upload the data during the monitoring period. No exceedances or other water quality issues were found.
Violations record from City Of Chicago 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.
- #40 / 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. (2026). Chicago (IL): 1 Health Violation - 68/100 (2026). https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/il0316000/
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-il0316000,
author = {{ZipCheckup}},
title = {{Chicago (IL): 1 Health Violation - 68/100 (2026)}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/il0316000/}
}
Data as of April 2026.
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.