Chicago
PWSID: IL0316000
This system has unresolved violations related to monitoring, reporting, or procedural requirements, but none involve contaminant levels exceeding EPA health limits.
This system has more violations on record than 96% of water systems in Illinois.
Violation trend: 4.4 per year over the last 5 years, down from 14.8 per year in the previous 5.
System Details
| Population Served | 2,746,388 |
| Service Connections | 484,979 |
| Water Source | Surface Water |
| System Type | Community Water System |
| Owner | Local Government |
| Status | Active |
| City | Chicago |
| EPA ZIP on File | 60611 |
Lead & Copper Testing
| Contaminant | Level | EPA Action Level | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (90th percentile) | 0.0093 mg/L | 0.015 mg/L | Below Action Level |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 0.0091 mg/L | 0.015 mg/L | Below Action Level |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 0.0077 mg/L | 0.015 mg/L | Below Action Level |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 0.0073 mg/L | 0.015 mg/L | Below Action Level |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 0.0071 mg/L | 0.015 mg/L | Below Action Level |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 0.0068 mg/L | 0.015 mg/L | Below Action Level |
| Lead (90th percentile) | 0.0056 mg/L | 0.015 mg/L | Below Action Level |
2 Active Violations
| Contaminant | Violation | Date | Health-Based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5200 | RPT | 2025-07-02 | Open | |
| 7500 | Other | 2025-06-15 | Open |
Violation History (98 total)
| Contaminant | Violation | Date | Health-Based | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0300 | MR | 2025-05-01 | Acknowledged | |
| 0300 | MR | 2025-05-01 | Returned to Compliance | |
| 0300 | MR | 2025-04-01 | Acknowledged | |
| 0300 | MR | 2025-04-01 | Returned to Compliance | |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Acknowledged |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Acknowledged |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Acknowledged |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Acknowledged |
| 2920 | MR | 2024-07-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 5000 | MR | 2021-12-30 | Returned to Compliance | |
| 5000 | MR | 2021-12-30 | Returned to Compliance | |
| 7000 | Other | 2021-07-01 | Returned to Compliance | |
| 7000 | Other | 2021-07-01 | Returned to Compliance | |
| 7000 | Other | 2020-07-01 | Returned to Compliance | |
| 7000 | Other | 2020-07-01 | Returned to Compliance | |
| 2005 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2005 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2010 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2010 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2015 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2015 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2020 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2020 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2031 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2031 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2032 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2032 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2033 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2033 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2035 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2035 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2036 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2036 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2037 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2037 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2039 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2039 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2040 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2040 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2041 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2041 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2042 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
| 2042 | MR | 2019-01-01 | Major | Returned to Compliance |
Showing 50 of 96 historical violations.
Understanding This Water System's Record
Chicago is a community water system water system that draws from surface water sources and serves a population of 2,746,388 in Chicago, Illinois. This page shows its complete compliance history as reported to the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), the federal database that tracks every public water system in the United States.
What Do These Violations Mean?
Health-based violations mean the system exceeded an EPA maximum contaminant level (MCL) or failed to provide required treatment. These indicate potential health risks from contaminants like lead, arsenic, bacteria, nitrates, or disinfection byproducts. Non-health-based violations involve monitoring, reporting, or procedural requirements — the system missed a testing deadline or failed to notify customers, but contaminant levels were not necessarily unsafe.
What Should You Do?
Your water utility is required to publish an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) that details test results and any violations. If your system has active health-based violations, consider a certified water filter rated for the specific contaminants involved. The contaminant guides on this site explain health risks and filter options for common pollutants. For the most current results, contact your water utility directly — EPA data can lag weeks or months behind real-time testing.