Current Noncompliance IL

Highwood

EPA ID: IL0970550 ยท 5,335 people served ยท 2 ZIP codes

ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for Highwood (IL0970550): 2 violations recorded with unresolved status in the SDWIS data used. Highwood | open status in EPA data: 2 violations | people served: about 5,335.

Data: EPA SDWIS

B ยท 81
Avg Safety Score
5,335
People Served
2
ZIP Codes Served
2
Violations (since 2021)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.076 mg/L
Most recent lead 90th percentile on record (monitoring period ending 2024-12-31) - Above EPA Action Level
Zone 2
County Radon Potential ยท Moderate
1
Contaminants Flagged
$525K
Median Home Value in ZIP Codes Served

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary - average Home Safety grade of mapped ZIPs: B

Demographics of ZIP Codes Served

$131,837
Median Household Income
35,479
Population of ZIP Codes Served (Census)
19%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
20th
Energy Burden Percentile
75%
Pre-1986 Housing

The ZIP codes associated with Highwood have a median household income of $131,837 and about 35,479 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 75% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

๐ŸŒŠ Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Highwood'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
40th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
70th
Superfund Site Proximity

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 70th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

67 yr
Estimated pipe age (modeled from housing age)
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Likely pipe material (modeled)
3 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Moderate Wear
Decay Status
Installed 96% of expected lifespan used (estimate) End of life

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Illinois

Posen
5,331 people
C 2 violations
0 violations
Sangamon Valley Pwd
5,300 people
2 violations
Genoa
5,298 people
1 violation
Robbins
5,415 people
C 29 violations

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Lead Pipe Replacement
Lead Pipe Replacement $4,500
Total Estimated Cost $4,500

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

Illustrative per-household cost scenario based on stated assumptions:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (ZipCheckup estimate)

Lead Exposure - Child Lifetime Cost $10,000

Per affected child (estimate)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$5,280
10 years
$10,560
20 years
$21,120

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $4,500 (one-time) vs. $10,560 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These estimates are for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Highwood (EPA ID: IL0970550) is a community water system in Illinois that serves approximately 5,335 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 2 communities.

ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (81/100)

This is the average Home Safety Score for 1 of 2 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

2 current noncompliance records in the accepted 2026Q2 snapshot; none are classified as health-based in this evidence.

Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 0 resolved, 0 archived, 0 addressed, and 2 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
January 1, 2026 Lead and Copper Rule Non-health-based Unaddressed (current)
July 1, 2025 Lead and Copper Rule Non-health-based Unaddressed (current)

Contaminants Detected

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

Contaminant Category Violations Health-Based
Lead and Copper Rule Monitoring & Reporting 2 No

Lead & Copper

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

Lead Level Exceeds Action Level Sample Date
0.076 mg/L Yes 2024-12-31
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.

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

2 of 2 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.

Data Sources

This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View available EPA compliance records for Highwood (IL0970550) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Highwood water safe to drink?

The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows 2 current noncompliance records and zero current records classified as health-based. That classification is not a property-specific water test or safety guarantee.

How many people does Highwood serve?

Highwood serves approximately 5,335 people across 2 ZIP codes in Illinois.

Where does Highwood 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.

Samples collected
116

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) 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 Highwood safe to drink? ▼
Highwood has 2 recorded violations since 2021. The B shown is a ZIP-area score, not a grade for this utility; see the violation table for what was violated.
Should I use a water filter? ▼
Given 2 recorded violations, review the violation types and dates; a filter certified for a specific contaminant of concern can reduce that contaminant at the tap. Monitoring or reporting violations are not something a filter addresses.
How many people does Highwood serve? ▼
Highwood serves approximately 5,335 people with drinking water across 2 ZIP codes.
What is Highwood's water source? ▼
Highwood draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Highwood's water? ▼
The most recent 90th-percentile lead result on record is 0.076 mg/L (sample period ending 2024-12-31). 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 the ZIP codes associated with Highwood? ▼
The ZIP codes mapped to Highwood have a median household income of $131,837 (Census ZIP-code estimate). Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Highwood get its water? ▼
Highwood'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 the available data, the modeled source-contamination category is moderate; test local water to assess actual exposure.

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (n.d.). Highwood (IL): 2 EPA Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/il0970550/
BibTeX
@misc{zipcheckup-water-system-il0970550,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Highwood (IL): 2 EPA Violations}},
  year   = {n.d.},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/il0970550/}
}

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 โ†’

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report โ†’

3

Contact your utility

Highwood (EPA ID: IL0970550) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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