Benton
EPA ID: IL0550050 · 8,104 people served · 3 ZIP codes
Benton's current EPA file includes 20 unresolved violations — every outstanding finding is documented in federal records for this utility, which supplies water to approximately 8,104 residents across its service territory.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Benton Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade D
Service Area Demographics
The Benton serves a community with a median household income of $52,132 and an estimated 12,014 residents across its service area. Approximately 71% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 75% 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?
Benton'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.
About 2% of homes in Franklin County, Illinois rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.
Wastewater Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to wastewater discharge points. Surface water sources near wastewater outfalls may face additional treatment challenges.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Benton compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Contaminant 1009 at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.004 mg/L. Intestinal damage, bone damage. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.
Contaminant 1006 at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.006 mg/L. Cholesterol & blood sugar effects, liver damage. Consider reverse osmosis filtration.
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) at 6 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of 0.08 mg/L. Bladder & rectal cancer risk; reproductive concerns. Consider granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration.
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 6 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Surface Water Treatment Rule at 6 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. 1 detection recorded.
Contaminant 1009 was detected in this water system. reverse osmosis filtration can reduce exposure.
Find a certified water filter →Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Illinois
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
Benton (EPA ID: IL0550050) is a community water system in Illinois that serves approximately 8,104 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 3 ZIP codes across 3 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: D (54/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| August 1, 2025 | Contaminant 1009 | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 2, 2025 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2025 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| April 1, 2025 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 12, 2025 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| January 1, 2025 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Health-based | Unresolved |
| October 17, 2024 | Stage 2 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 11, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| July 1, 2024 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Stage 1 DBP Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
| October 1, 2023 | Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Monitoring | Resolved |
| July 1, 2023 | Surface Water Treatment Rule | Monitoring | Unresolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 6 | No |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Failure | 6 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Failure | 6 | No |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 3 | Yes |
| Contaminant 1006 | Other Violation | 1 | No |
| Contaminant 1009 | Other Violation | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62812 | 0.0346 mg/L | Yes | 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: 2 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 1 additional ZIP inferred from SDWIS registry data. The EPA-confirmed set is the most reliable; SDWIS-inferred entries may be narrower than the real deployment area.
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Benton (IL0550050) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Benton water safe to drink?
Benton 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 Benton serve?
Benton serves approximately 8,104 people across 3 ZIP codes in Illinois.
Where does Benton get its water?
The primary water source is surface water.
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 BENTON 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: BENTON 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 source water assessment for our supply has been completed by the Illinois EPA. 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.
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 BENTON 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 →
Lead Service Line Inventory
Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:
This system reports zero confirmed lead service lines in its inventory. Unknown-material counts may still warrant verification.
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).
-
public notice2021-01-14
We failed to adequately notify you about a violation of the drinking water regulations.
-
public notice2021-10-21
We failed to adequately notify you about a violation of the drinking water regulations.
-
public notice2022-09-28
We failed to adequately notify you about a violation of the drinking water regulations.
-
lead consumer notice · lead2021-12-30
We failed to provide the results of lead tap water monitoring to the consumers at the location water was tested.
-
consumer confidence rule2022-07-01
We failed to provide to you an annual report that adequately informed you about the quality of our drinking water.
-
consumer confidence rule2023-07-01
We failed to provide to you an annual report that adequately informed you about the quality of our drinking water.
-
consumer confidence rule2024-07-01
We failed to provide to you an annual report that informs you about the quality of our drinking water.
-
follow-up or routine tap M/R · lead2023-10-01
We failed to test our drinking water for lead and copper.
-
monitoring, routine (DBP), major · Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)2024-10-01
We failed to test our drinking water for Haloacetic Acids during the period indicated.
-
monitoring, routine (DBP), major · Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM)2024-10-01
We failed to test our drinking water for Total Trihalomethanes during the period indicated.
Violations record from BENTON 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
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
Benton (EPA ID: IL0550050) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.