Monitoring Violations IL

Wauconda

EPA ID: IL0971850 · 14,084 people served · 7 ZIP codes

Five-year compliance data for Wauconda includes 1 violation the EPA has not yet marked resolved — those open findings are part of the utility's current enforcement profile, covering a service population of approximately 14,084 residents across the area it supplies.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02

D · 46
Avg Safety Score
14,084
People Served
7
ZIP Codes Served
1
Violations (5yr)
Surface Water
Water Source
0.015 mg/L
Max Lead Level
Zone 2
Radon Risk · Moderate
1
Contaminants Flagged
$283K
Median Home Value in Service Area

Compliance Trajectory

Worsening · Risk tier: High · 95% chance of violation in next 12 months

Violations went from 1 (2022) to 2 (2024). The pattern suggests growing compliance challenges.

Service Area Map

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

Service area boundary — Grade D

Service Area Demographics

$104,920
Median Household Income
250,692
Service Area Population
17%
Disadvantaged Population
30th
Poverty Percentile
20th
Energy Burden Percentile
47%
Pre-1986 Housing

The Wauconda serves a community with a median household income of $104,920 and an estimated 250,692 residents across its service area. Approximately 47% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.

🌊 Where Does Your Water Come From?

Surface Water

Wauconda'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.

Elevated Risk
Source Contamination Risk
46th
Wastewater Discharge Proximity
69th
Superfund Site Proximity

About 1% of homes in Lake County, Illinois rely on private wells rather than public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own water testing and treatment.

Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 69th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.

Infrastructure Risk

38 yr
Avg Pipe Age
Copper
Pipe Material
32 yr
Est. Remaining Life
Stable
Decay Status
Installed 54% of expected lifespan used End of life

Detected Contaminants

How Wauconda compares to EPA limits

What This Means For You

Surface Water Treatment Rule at 1 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. 3 detections recorded.

State limits: PFOA: 0.002 ppt, PFOS: 0.014 ppt
Health concern: PFAS are linked to cancer, thyroid disease, immune suppression, and developmental effects. They do not break down naturally.
Recommended filter: Reverse osmosis (RO) or activated carbon filters certified for PFAS removal. Find the right filter →

Comparable Water Systems

Similar-sized systems in Illinois

Chicago Ridge
14,130 people
B 0 violations
Wood Dale
14,012 people
C 2 violations
Antioch
14,175 people
D 10 violations
Forest Park
14,340 people
B 1 violation
Caseyville
13,798 people
D 1 violation

Estimated Remediation Costs

Average estimated costs across ZIP codes served by this system

Flood Insurance Radon Mitigation PFAS Treatment Water Filtration
Flood Insurance $1,371
Radon Mitigation $400
PFAS Treatment $143
Water Filtration $43
Total Estimated Cost $1,957

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

If water quality issues in this service area are not addressed, the estimated financial impact per household is:

Estimated Healthcare Costs $500

Annual per household (CDC est.)

PFAS Exposure — Lifetime Cost $1,000

Per person (emerging research est.)

Estimated Cumulative Cost Per Household

5 years
$2,665
10 years
$5,330
20 years
$10,660

Compare: Estimated remediation cost is $1,957 (one-time) vs. $5,330 in estimated inaction costs over 10 years.

Estimates based on published EPA, CDC, and peer-reviewed research. Individual costs vary by household size, property, and health factors. These are conservative lower-bound estimates intended for awareness, not financial advice.

System Overview

Wauconda (EPA ID: IL0971850) is a community water system in Illinois that serves approximately 14,084 people from surface water sources.

This system provides water to 7 ZIP codes across 7 communities.

Average Home Safety Score: D (46/100)

Based on water quality violations, lead levels, and radon risk across all ZIP codes served by this system.

Violation History

1 monitoring/reporting violation recorded. These are procedural violations (missed tests or late reports), not necessarily water safety issues.

Recent Violations

Date Contaminant Type Status
July 1, 2025 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
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment 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
60084 0.015 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 Filter

Free tip: Let cold water run for 2 minutes before drinking — 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 Wauconda (IL0971850) on EPA.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Wauconda water safe to drink?

Wauconda has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.

How many people does Wauconda serve?

Wauconda serves approximately 14,084 people across 7 ZIP codes in Illinois.

Where does Wauconda get its water?

The primary water source is surface water.

Water Source & Treatment

Where this water originates and how it's treated before reaching your tap.

Source
Surface water
Drawn from rivers, lakes, or reservoirs.
Disinfectant used
Chlorine
Treatment chemicals reported
Chlorine

Source: WAUCONDA Consumer Confidence Report.

ZipCheckup is not affiliated with this water utility. Treatment and source data are sourced from the utility's published CCR filings.

Treatment regime

How this utility classifies its treatment process and what each reported treatment chemical does.

Treatment classification
Standard
Disinfection plus one or more treatment additives — typically corrosion control, pH adjustment, or fluoridation. Standard regime for utilities serving treated municipal water.

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.

Disinfectant
Inactivates bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the treated water.
Chlorine

Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from WAUCONDA 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.

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) — per-system federal sampling, 2023–2025. EPA UCMR5 monitoring program →

Understand PFAS health context and filtration →

Lead Service Line Inventory

Service line breakdown reported under the federal Lead and Copper Rule Improvements (LCRI) inventory requirement:

165
Confirmed Lead
2
Galvanized — Replacement Required
1,567
Unknown Material
4,291
Confirmed Non-Lead

Federal LCRI rule (effective October 2024) requires every public water system to inventory its service lines and complete lead-line replacement within 10 years.

Federal Regulatory Status · 2026Q1
LCRR inventory submission: Reported all required service line types
Latest tap sample on 2025-07-01 exceeded the federal lead action level (0.015 mg/L).
Population served: 14,084
Reported to Illinois

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.

Learn about lead in drinking water →

Frequently Asked Questions

Is water from Wauconda safe to drink?
Wauconda has a D safety grade based on 1 recorded violation. Some contaminants may exceed EPA limits — independent testing is recommended.
What contaminants are in Wauconda's water?
Detected contaminants include Surface Water Treatment Rule. Each is compared against EPA maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) in the detailed breakdown above.
Should I use a water filter?
Given 1 contaminant above EPA limits, a certified water filter can provide an extra layer of protection. The best type depends on specific contaminants in your water.
How many people does Wauconda serve?
Wauconda serves approximately 14,084 people with drinking water across 7 ZIP codes.
What is Wauconda's water source?
Wauconda draws water from surface water sources. Source type affects which contaminants are most likely to be present.
Is there lead in Wauconda's water?
The maximum detected lead level is 0.015 mg/L. This is within EPA action level guidelines.
What is the demographic profile of Wauconda's service area?
The Wauconda service area has a median household income of $104,920. Demographic data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and EPA EJScreen.
Where does Wauconda get its water?
Wauconda'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 violation history and environmental factors, the source contamination risk is currently elevated.

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 →

2

Check your specific ZIP code

Water quality can vary within a system. View nearest ZIP report →

3

Contact your utility

Wauconda (EPA ID: IL0971850) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.

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