Hammond Water Works Department
EPA ID: IN5245020 · 78,384 people served · 10 ZIP codes
Water monitoring history for Hammond Water Works Department includes 3 violations, each addressed and closed — the system holds no active EPA enforcement today for its 78,384 residents.
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-04-02
Service Area Map
Coverage area for Hammond Water Works Department Source: EPA SDWIS service area boundaries.
Service area boundary — Grade B
Service Area Demographics
The Hammond Water Works Department serves a community with a median household income of $50,457 and an estimated 136,380 residents across its service area. Approximately 90% of housing stock was built before 1986, which increases the likelihood of lead service lines and older plumbing.
Environmental Justice Note: 52% 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?
Hammond Water Works Department'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 1% of homes in Lake County, Indiana 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 80th percentile nationally for proximity to Superfund (NPL) sites.
Infrastructure Risk
Detected Contaminants
How Hammond Water Works Department compares to EPA limits
What This Means For You
Contaminant 2051 at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Stage 1 DBP Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Consumer Confidence Report Rule at 1 mg/L exceeds the EPA maximum of mg/L.
Comparable Water Systems
Similar-sized systems in Indiana
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
Hammond Water Works Department (EPA ID: IN5245020) is a community water system in Indiana that serves approximately 78,384 people from surface water sources.
This system provides water to 10 ZIP codes across 4 communities.
Average Home Safety Score: B (76/100)
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2024 | Contaminant 2051 | Monitoring | Resolved |
Contaminants Detected
The following contaminants have been flagged in EPA records for this water system:
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | Health-Based |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant 2051 | Other Violation | 1 | No |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Failure | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 46320 | 0.003 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 46323 | 0.003 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 46324 | 0.003 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 46325 | 0.003 mg/L | No | N/A |
| 46327 | 0.003 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: 6 ZIP codes confirmed via EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3 plus 4 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.
- 46320 — Hammond
- 46321 — Munster
- 46323 — Hammond
- 46324 — Hammond
- 46325 — Hammond
- 46327 — Hammond
- 46394 — Whiting
- 46402 — Gary
- 46404 — Gary
- 46406 — Gary
Data Sources
This report uses public data from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). View the full compliance record for Hammond Water Works Department (IN5245020) on EPA.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hammond Water Works Department water safe to drink?
Hammond Water Works Department has only monitoring/reporting violations, which are procedural in nature. The system meets federal health-based standards.
How many people does Hammond Water Works Department serve?
Hammond Water Works Department serves approximately 78,384 people across 10 ZIP codes in Indiana.
Where does Hammond Water Works Department 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 Hammond Water Works Department 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: Hammond Water Works Department 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 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.
Watershed exposure sources reported
Land-use and natural conditions identified in the utility's source-water assessment as potential contamination sources upstream of treatment.
Treatment classification and chemical list sourced from Hammond Water Works Department 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:
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 · SIMAZINE2024-Q4
Monitoring, Routine Minor violation for period 9/30/2024-12/30/2024: Some, but not all monitoring samples were taken or reported.
-
monitoring · ALACHLOR (LASSO)2024-Q4
Monitoring, Routine Minor violation for period 9/30/2024-12/30/2024: Some, but not all monitoring samples were taken or reported.
-
monitoring · DI(2-ETHYLHEXYL) PHTHALATE2024-Q4
Monitoring, Routine Minor violation for period 9/30/2024-12/30/2024: Some, but not all monitoring samples were taken or reported.
-
monitoring · DI(2-ETHYLHEXYL) ADIPATE2024-Q4
Monitoring, Routine Minor violation for period 9/30/2024-12/30/2024: Some, but not all monitoring samples were taken or reported.
-
monitoring · ATRAZINE2024-Q4
Monitoring, Routine Minor violation for period 9/30/2024-12/30/2024: Some, but not all monitoring samples were taken or reported.
-
monitoring · DIOXIN2024-12
Hammond Water Works second sample of Dioxin did not make IDEM's deadline of December 2024, resulting in a minor violation. The second sample was completed in January of 2025 and results were non-detectable.
Violations record from Hammond Water Works Department Consumer Confidence Report.
Notable events from the utility's CCR
These bullet entries are the utility's own narration of operational, regulatory, or infrastructure events during the reporting period.
- Six monitoring violations in Q4 2024: Simazine, Lasso (Alachlor), Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, Atrazine, and Dioxin — all routine minor monitoring failures.
- Significant deficiency identified 11/3/2021: All services are not metered (Distribution System); corrective action plan due 10/30/2025.
- UCMR5 testing in November 2024 detected no PFAS compounds.
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
Hammond Water Works Department (EPA ID: IN5245020) — request the latest Consumer Confidence Report or ask about specific contaminants.