East Chicago Water Works
EPA ID: IN5245012 · 26,370 people served · 2 ZIP codes
ZipCheckup's reading of EPA records for East Chicago Water Works (IN5245012): 9 violations on record since 2021. Over the period covered by EPA data, East Chicago Water Works recorded 9 violations, each listed as resolved; the utility serves 26,370 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS
Service Area Map
Coverage area for East Chicago Water Works 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 East Chicago Water Works have a median household income of $38,389 and about 40,255 residents live in those ZIP codes (Census; not the number of people this system supplies). Approximately 89% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: On average, 52% 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?
East Chicago Water Works'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.
Superfund Proximity Note: This service area ranks in the 80th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Indiana
System Overview
East Chicago Water Works (EPA ID: IN5245012) is a community water system in Indiana that serves approximately 26,370 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 2 ZIP codes across 2 communities.
ZIP-Area Home Safety Context: B (72/100)
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
Status breakdown for accepted records with record years 2021-2026: 9 resolved, 0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 1, 2025 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| October 1, 2024 | TTHM | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| October 1, 2024 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| March 1, 2024 | Revised Total Coliform Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2024 | Lead and Copper Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | TTHM | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| January 1, 2023 | Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| July 1, 2022 | Consumer Confidence Rule | Non-health-based | Resolved |
| May 1, 2021 | Revised Total Coliform 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Monitoring & Reporting, Other (notice or report rule) | 3 | No |
| Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| TTHM | Monitoring & Reporting | 2 | No |
| Lead and Copper Rule | 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 0.008 mg/L | No | 2024-12-31 |
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 IN 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 East Chicago Water Works (IN5245012) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is East Chicago Water Works water safe to drink?
The accepted 2026Q2 ECHO snapshot shows no current noncompliance for East Chicago Water Works; its 9 accepted 2021-2026 records are resolved or archived. Historical compliance status does not establish conditions at a specific tap.
How many people does East Chicago Water Works serve?
East Chicago Water Works serves approximately 26,370 people across 2 ZIP codes in Indiana.
Where does East Chicago Water Works 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
How to cite this page
ZipCheckup. (n.d.). East Chicago Water Works (IN): 9 EPA Violations. https://zipcheckup.com/water-system/in5245012/
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What You Can Do
Test your water
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Check your specific ZIP code
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Contact your utility
East Chicago Water Works (EPA ID: IN5245012) - request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.