State Hub
Illinois Water Quality
1,134
Utilities in database
12.0M
Residents served
5
With open violations
472
PFAS monitored
Quick Answer
Illinois public drinking water is served by 1,134 EPA-tracked water systems, providing service to approximately 12.0 million residents through public utilities. 5 of those systems currently have open health-based violations on record in the EPA federal database. 472 systems have official PFAS monitoring records from the EPA UCMR 5 program (2023–2025). About 20% of IL residents use private wells, which fall outside federal utility compliance monitoring.
5 Illinois water systems have open health-based violations recorded in EPA SDWIS. An open violation means a contaminant exceeded a federal limit and the violation has not been formally resolved in the federal database. Check individual utility pages for current status.
Open Health-Based Violations in Illinois
Records sourced from EPA SDWIS. A record may be under review or resolved at the utility level but not yet updated in federal records. Water Utility Report does not determine whether water is safe to drink.
Drinking Water in Illinois
Illinois has 1,134 community water systems serving approximately 12.0 million residents. Primary water sources include groundwater. The most commonly reported contaminants include lead, disinfection byproducts, nitrates. 20% of Illinois residents rely on private wells. IEPA holds primary enforcement authority under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Highest Risk Utilities
Illinois systems with open health-based violations in EPA records.
Safest Large Utilities
Illinois systems with no open health violations serving 10,000+ residents.
Utilities in Illinois
1–25 of 1,134Chicago
IL0316000 · 2,746,388 served
Aurora
IL0894070 · 183,000 served
Joliet
IL1970450 · 160,000 served
Naperville
IL0434670 · 156,406 served
Il American-champaign
IL0195300 · 150,000 served
Rockford
IL2010300 · 147,051 served
Il American-peoria
IL1435030 · 137,575 served
Il American-east St Louis
IL1635040 · 131,368 served
Springfield
IL1671200 · 117,444 served
Elgin
IL0894380 · 114,797 served
Waukegan
IL0971900 · 87,149 served
Cicero
IL0310510 · 83,000 served
Aqua Illinois-kankakee
IL0915030 · 80,000 served
Bloomington
IL1130200 · 77,610 served
Decatur
IL1150150 · 76,122 served
Schaumburg
IL0314890 · 75,750 served
Evanston
IL0310810 · 74,486 served
Il American-west Suburban
IL1974151 · 73,978 served
Arlington Heights
IL0314030 · 73,320 served
Palatine
IL0312340 · 70,875 served
Skokie
IL0312880 · 66,422 served
Des Plaines
IL0310630 · 60,675 served
Oak Lawn
IL0312220 · 58,362 served
Orland Park
IL0312310 · 58,020 served
Berwyn
IL0310210 · 57,250 served
Key Contaminant Concerns in Illinois
These contaminants appear most frequently in Illinois utility records or pose elevated risk in this region based on EPA data.
Lead
Lead is a naturally occurring heavy metal that was widely used in plumbing infrastructure until it was banned for new installations in 1986. An estimated 9.2 million lead service lines still connect homes to public water mains across the United States, along with millions of homes with lead solder in their internal plumbing. Critically, a utility's water quality report can show zero detected lead at the treatment plant while your specific tap still delivers elevated lead — because the contamination happens inside the distribution system and your home's plumbing, not at the source.
EPA limit: 15 ppb (action level)
Nitrates
Nitrate (NO₃⁻) is a nitrogen-containing compound that forms naturally through the decomposition of organic matter. At elevated concentrations — almost always caused by human activity — nitrate is converted in the digestive system to nitrite, which then reacts with hemoglobin to form methemoglobin, a form of hemoglobin that cannot carry oxygen. In the body, nitrite also reacts with amines in food to form N-nitroso compounds (nitrosamines) — known carcinogens classified by the IARC as Group 2A (probable human carcinogens). The United States applies over 23 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer annually, making agricultural runoff the dominant source of nitrate contamination in U.S. groundwater.
EPA limit: 10 mg/L
DBPs
When utilities add chlorine to water to kill pathogens, it reacts with dissolved organic matter — leaves, algae, soil — to produce disinfection byproducts (DBPs). Over 600 DBPs have been identified. The EPA regulates two groups: total trihalomethanes (TTHMs, including chloroform) and haloacetic acids (HAA5). DBP levels tend to be highest in surface water systems and in warm months when organic matter is elevated.
EPA limit: 80 µg/L (TTHMs) / 60 µg/L (HAA5)
City Water Reports in Illinois
Tap water quality pages for Illinois cities — violations, PFAS records, utility profiles, and official source links.
Independent Water Testing
Find a certified lab in Illinois
Utility compliance records show what water systems report to the EPA. An independent test from a certified laboratory confirms what's actually in your tap water. Illinois labs can test for PFAS, lead, nitrates, bacteria, and dozens of other contaminants.
Explore Water Quality in Illinois
Chicago
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Aurora
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
Joliet
Violation history, PFAS records, and official source links
PFAS monitoring records — Illinois
472 water systems in Illinois with EPA UCMR 5 records
Active drinking water violations
5 open health-based violations on record — view official EPA SDWIS data
Lead in Illinois drinking water
State-specific lead data, violation utilities, and testing guidance
PFAS in Illinois drinking water
State-specific PFAS data, MCL context, and treatment options
Certified water testing labs in Illinois
Labs certified for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, and bacteria testing
Water treatment options
Reverse osmosis, activated carbon, and filtration guides with cost ranges
Data sources and methodology
How WaterUtilityReport.com sources and validates official EPA data
Common Questions About Illinois Drinking Water
Does Illinois drinking water have PFAS?
472 Illinois water systems have EPA UCMR 5 PFAS monitoring records (2023–2025)
Which Illinois water utilities have open violations?
5 systems have open health-based violations in EPA SDWIS — search for your utility
How do I test my water in Illinois?
State-certified labs for PFAS (EPA 533/537.1), lead, nitrate, and bacteria testing
What treatment removes PFAS from IL tap water?
Reverse osmosis removes PFAS, lead, arsenic, and nitrates — cost, maintenance, and NSF certification explained
What do Illinois PFAS records tell me about my water?
EPA limits, health context, and what UCMR 5 detection above MRL means for your water
How is Illinois water quality data sourced here?
EPA SDWIS violations, UCMR 5 PFAS records, and CCR data — sources, accuracy notes, and limitations
Illinois Water FAQs
Data sources: Utility compliance and violation data from EPA SDWIS (Safe Drinking Water Information System). PFAS monitoring records from EPA UCMR 5 (Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5, 2023–2025). Contaminant data from EPA and ATSDR public references. This page summarizes public records — it is not a compliance determination. Methodology →
Last updated: 2026-04-17