SOUTH ELGIN vs CHICAGO
Water quality comparison — risk levels, violations, PFAS records, and contaminants
Quick Answer
CHICAGO has a lower risk classification (safe). SOUTH ELGIN has 1 open health-based violation and 464 PFAS records. CHICAGO has 0 open health-based violations and 232 PFAS records.
Illinois · IL0890800
Moderate Concern
Contaminants detected within limits but elevated. Consider filtration.
1
Open violations
464
PFAS records
Illinois · IL0316000
No Concerns Detected
Water meets all safety standards with no detected exceedances.
0
Open violations
232
PFAS records
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Metric | SOUTH ELGIN | CHICAGO |
|---|---|---|
| State | Illinois | Illinois |
| Risk Level | Moderate Concern | No Concerns Detected |
| Population Served | 23,648 | 2,746,388 |
| Open Health Violations | 1 | 0 |
| Total Violations | 8 | 50 |
| PFAS Records | 464 | 232 |
| Ownership | Local | Local |
| Service Type | Groundwater | Surface water |
| City Served | South Elgin | Chicago |
Contaminants in Violation Records
SOUTH ELGIN
- Lead
- Nitrate
CHICAGO
- Lead
- Nitrate
- Turbidity
Key Differences
SOUTH ELGIN has a moderate risk rating vs. safe for CHICAGO.
SOUTH ELGIN has 1 open health-based violation vs. 0 for CHICAGO.
SOUTH ELGIN has 464 PFAS records vs. 232 for CHICAGO.
What Should I Do?
If either utility shows open violations or elevated PFAS records, consider:
- Installing a reverse osmosis filter — removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, nitrates, and most heavy metals.
- Requesting your utility’s annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) for the most current test results.
- Ordering a certified lab water test if you want contaminant-specific data for your address.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is safer — SOUTH ELGIN or CHICAGO?
CHICAGO has a lower risk classification (safe). CHICAGO has 0 open health-based violations compared to 1 for the other system.
What does "open health-based violation" mean?
An open health-based violation means a water system has exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) or failed to meet a treatment technique — and the violation has not yet been resolved. These are the most serious type of water quality violations.
How current is this data?
Violation data comes from EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), which is updated as utilities report. PFAS data comes from EPA's UCMR 5 monitoring (2023–2025). Risk levels are recalculated daily.
What does PWSID mean?
PWSID stands for Public Water System ID — a unique federal identifier assigned to each community water system. You can use it to look up a system in EPA's ECHO database.