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Not health advice. Contact your local water utility for concerns.
Data from EPA Water Quality Reports. For official information, contact your water utility or health department.
EPA SDWIS/ECHO 2026Q2 · UCMR5 (2023–2026, July 2026 release) · SYR4 six-year review 2012–2019 · Methodology
Grade B — based on EPA compliance records, lead testing and PFAS monitoring
CHICAGO is in good standing with EPA, with only minor deductions for monitoring paperwork, low-level PFAS or historical readings near a limit.
Yes — by EPA's records Chicago, IL tap water is safe to drink and earns a B. The grade rests on lead at 7 ppb (90th percentile) — under the 15 ppb action level but above 5 ppb. Lead from your own service line or plumbing is the main risk city-level data cannot see, so homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
Yes — by EPA's records Chicago, IL tap water is safe to drink and earns a B. The grade rests on lead at 7 ppb (90th percentile) — under the 15 ppb action level but above 5 ppb. Lead from your own service line or plumbing is the main risk city-level data cannot see, so homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
CHICAGO's most recent Lead and Copper Rule result (2026-01-01 to 2026-06-30) was 7 ppb at the 90th percentile, below EPA's 15 ppb action level. Because lead usually comes from service lines and household plumbing, homes built before 1986 should still test at the tap.
No. None of the 232 UCMR5 PFAS results for CHICAGO (2024-01-08 to 2024-10-08) were at or above the reporting limit of roughly 3–5 ppt.
CHICAGO has 45 violations on file since 2016: 0 health-based in the last five years and 9 monitoring or reporting violations in that window. Monitoring violations are paperwork lapses, not measured contamination.
CHICAGO reports surface water as its primary source and serves about 2,721,308 people (EPA PWSID IL0316000).
Optional but sensible. The findings on this page are below federal limits; an NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter handles lead and improves taste.
Lead was found at 7 ppb (90th percentile) in Chicago's latest tap sampling — below the action level, but there is no safe level of lead.
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