Copper Contamination

Copper in Illinois Drinking Water

Ranked by 90th percentile copper level (mg/L) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

216

Cities Tested

216

Exceeds Limit

100%

% Exceeds Limit

5.902 mg/L

State Avg

▼ 0% vs national

vs National

687

Health Violations

Analysis

Copper in Illinois: what the data shows

Illinois has 216 cities with copper monitoring data. The state average 90th percentile copper level is 5.902 mg/L, compared to 29.400 mg/L nationally — better than the national average. 216 cities exceed the EPA action level of 1.3 mg/L. Copper in drinking water typically comes from corrosion of copper pipes and plumbing fixtures, particularly in older homes. The EPA action level of 1.3 mg/L is the 90th percentile threshold — if more than 10% of tap samples exceed it, utilities must take corrective action including adjusting water chemistry to reduce corrosivity. Short-term copper exposure above the action level can cause gastrointestinal distress. Long-term exposure at elevated levels is associated with liver and kidney damage. Flushing your tap for 30 seconds before use and using an NSF 53-certified filter can reduce copper exposure.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 1.3 mg/L EPA Action Level

Illinois

100%

216 of 216 cities

← = Exactly at national rate

National avg

100%

3810 of 3810 cities

City Map

Copper data across Illinois

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. Cities with copper levels above the 1.3 mg/L EPA action level are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by copper level in Illinois

Highest Copper levels (mg/L)

All Cities

All Illinois cities ranked by copper level

#	City	Level	Exceeds?	Violations	Grade
1	Oreana	900.000 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
2	Ottawa	6.445 mg/L	Yes	62	F
3	Wapella	5.000 mg/L	Yes	0	A
4	Carlock	4.270 mg/L	Yes	24	A-
5	Frankfort	3.500 mg/L	Yes	7	B+
6	Gilberts	3.300 mg/L	Yes	0	A-
7	Sherrard	2.900 mg/L	Yes	14	B
8	Ogden	2.888 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
9	Chicago	2.830 mg/L	Yes	68	F
10	Chatsworth	2.820 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
11	Le Roy	2.700 mg/L	Yes	12	D
12	Forrest	2.670 mg/L	Yes	0	A-
13	Avon	2.600 mg/L	Yes	3	A-
14	Prophetstown	2.550 mg/L	Yes	2	B
15	Loda	2.500 mg/L	Yes	1	B
16	Littleton	2.500 mg/L	Yes	9	B+
17	Morris	2.492 mg/L	Yes	74	F
18	Grayslake	2.380 mg/L	Yes	7	B+
19	Colchester	2.330 mg/L	Yes	23	B+
20	Glen Carbon	2.316 mg/L	Yes	0	B
21	Geneseo	2.300 mg/L	Yes	124	F
22	Barry	2.300 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
23	Chenoa	2.200 mg/L	Yes	19	F
24	Marine	2.200 mg/L	Yes	0	B
25	Joliet	2.140 mg/L	Yes	131	F
26	Goodfield	2.100 mg/L	Yes	6	A-
27	Hamel	2.070 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
28	Mattoon	2.060 mg/L	Yes	14	B-
29	Bethany	2.060 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
30	Cullom	2.050 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
31	Winfield	2.040 mg/L	Yes	1	A
32	Lenzburg	2.020 mg/L	Yes	3	B
33	Washington	2.007 mg/L	Yes	5	C
34	Hebron	2.000 mg/L	Yes	2	B
35	Coal Valley	1.990 mg/L	Yes	12	F
36	Olney	1.976 mg/L	Yes	3	F
37	Island Lake	1.960 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
38	Findlay	1.960 mg/L	Yes	21	B-
39	Ashkum	1.960 mg/L	Yes	11	C+
40	Martinsville	1.930 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
41	Colfax	1.920 mg/L	Yes	5	B-
42	Libertyville	1.900 mg/L	Yes	14	C
43	Salem	1.900 mg/L	Yes	7	C
44	Wonder Lake	1.900 mg/L	Yes	6	C+
45	Riverton	1.900 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
46	Danvers	1.900 mg/L	Yes	48	B-
47	Albers	1.900 mg/L	Yes	8	B-
48	Warrensburg	1.900 mg/L	Yes	4	B-
49	Washburn	1.900 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
50	Peoria	1.894 mg/L	Yes	5	C-
51	Equality	1.890 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
52	Prospect Heights	1.880 mg/L	Yes	9	B+
53	Marseilles	1.870 mg/L	Yes	116	D
54	Cerro Gordo	1.870 mg/L	Yes	0	A-
55	Evansville	1.870 mg/L	Yes	13	C+
56	Kankakee	1.860 mg/L	Yes	40	F
57	Gilman	1.840 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
58	Coleta	1.828 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
59	Newark	1.820 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
60	Quincy	1.810 mg/L	Yes	3	B-
61	Arthur	1.800 mg/L	Yes	0	B
62	Mackinaw	1.800 mg/L	Yes	1	A
63	Chebanse	1.800 mg/L	Yes	6	B+
64	Prairie Du Rochr	1.800 mg/L	Yes	1	B-
65	Burlington	1.800 mg/L	Yes	5	B+
66	Germantown	1.780 mg/L	Yes	1	C+
67	Lancaster	1.770 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
68	Lawrencville	1.760 mg/L	Yes	17	B
69	Kansas	1.760 mg/L	Yes	2	D+
70	Thomasboro	1.730 mg/L	Yes	1	B
71	Port Byron	1.728 mg/L	Yes	4	B-
72	Mchenry	1.720 mg/L	Yes	57	F
73	Westfield	1.720 mg/L	Yes	4	C-
74	De Kalb	1.700 mg/L	Yes	7	B+
75	Sugar Grove	1.700 mg/L	Yes	7	A-
76	Highland	1.700 mg/L	Yes	16	B
77	Rockton	1.700 mg/L	Yes	31	C
78	Metamora	1.700 mg/L	Yes	10	C
79	Wasco	1.700 mg/L	Yes	14	A
80	Casey	1.700 mg/L	Yes	16	B
81	Maroa	1.700 mg/L	Yes	10	A-
82	Chrisman	1.700 mg/L	Yes	36	F
83	Ridgway	1.700 mg/L	Yes	7	B+
84	East Galesburg	1.700 mg/L	Yes	0	B
85	Hanaford	1.700 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
86	Troy	1.690 mg/L	Yes	3	A-
87	Hoopeston	1.690 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
88	Crest Hill	1.686 mg/L	Yes	12	F
89	Hampshire	1.680 mg/L	Yes	15	B
90	Annawan	1.670 mg/L	Yes	5	A-
91	Bartelso	1.670 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
92	Villa Grove	1.660 mg/L	Yes	4	B+
93	Forsyth	1.650 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
94	Oak Brook	1.640 mg/L	Yes	8	D
95	Gardner	1.631 mg/L	Yes	24	B+
96	Darien	1.620 mg/L	Yes	6	C+
97	Lena	1.620 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
98	Windsor	1.620 mg/L	Yes	11	C-
99	Lincoln	1.619 mg/L	Yes	8	F
100	Wilmington	1.615 mg/L	Yes	10	C+
101	Galesburg	1.600 mg/L	Yes	1	B
102	Algonquin	1.600 mg/L	Yes	6	A-
103	East Moline	1.600 mg/L	Yes	18	D+
104	Dwight	1.600 mg/L	Yes	8	B+
105	Bushnell	1.600 mg/L	Yes	6	A
106	Tremont	1.600 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
107	Lewistown	1.600 mg/L	Yes	3	A-
108	St Rose	1.600 mg/L	Yes	8	D
109	Lovington	1.600 mg/L	Yes	1	B-
110	Gifford	1.600 mg/L	Yes	0	B
111	Cisne	1.600 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
112	Good Hope	1.600 mg/L	Yes	4	A-
113	Clifton	1.585 mg/L	Yes	3	C
114	Newman	1.580 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
115	Oak Brook Terr	1.570 mg/L	Yes	7	B+
116	Fox River Grove	1.560 mg/L	Yes	10	B
117	Mazon	1.540 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
118	Towanda	1.540 mg/L	Yes	4	B-
119	Cordova	1.530 mg/L	Yes	2	B-
120	Dieterich	1.520 mg/L	Yes	7	F
121	Arenzville	1.510 mg/L	Yes	15	A-
122	Woodstock	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B-
123	South Elgin	1.500 mg/L	Yes	28	C
124	Morton	1.500 mg/L	Yes	13	B-
125	Mahomet	1.500 mg/L	Yes	4	B+
126	Volo	1.500 mg/L	Yes	11	C
127	Peoria Heights	1.500 mg/L	Yes	5	B+
128	Hainesville	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
129	Lakemoor	1.500 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
130	Amboy	1.500 mg/L	Yes	0	B
131	Pekin	1.500 mg/L	Yes	1	D+
132	Bement	1.500 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
133	Ridge Farm	1.500 mg/L	Yes	2	C+
134	Albany	1.500 mg/L	Yes	2	D+
135	Alexis	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
136	Paloma	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
137	Dallas City	1.500 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
138	Tiskilwa	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
139	Golden	1.500 mg/L	Yes	0	A
140	Nebo	1.500 mg/L	Yes	1	D
141	Augusta	1.500 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
142	Roodhouse	1.490 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
143	New Memphis	1.490 mg/L	Yes	4	B+
144	Rockford	1.480 mg/L	Yes	43	F
145	Dekalb	1.480 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
146	Sublette	1.470 mg/L	Yes	15	A-
147	Maryville	1.461 mg/L	Yes	2	A
148	Farmer City	1.460 mg/L	Yes	1	B-
149	Atlanta	1.460 mg/L	Yes	8	B+
150	Walnut	1.460 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
151	Danforth	1.460 mg/L	Yes	5	C
152	Braceville	1.450 mg/L	Yes	9	C
153	Clayton	1.440 mg/L	Yes	5	A-
154	Bridgeport	1.440 mg/L	Yes	12	B-
155	Payson	1.440 mg/L	Yes	3	A-
156	Camargo	1.440 mg/L	Yes	7	B
157	Barrington	1.434 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
158	Kingston	1.430 mg/L	Yes	9	C+
159	Sumner	1.430 mg/L	Yes	6	B+
160	Roseville	1.430 mg/L	Yes	11	A-
161	Chapin	1.430 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
162	Brownstown	1.420 mg/L	Yes	10	C+
163	Wyanet	1.414 mg/L	Yes	2	B+
164	Godfrey	1.413 mg/L	Yes	22	C+
165	Marengo	1.410 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
166	Atwood	1.410 mg/L	Yes	4	A-
167	Carpentersville	1.400 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
168	East Peoria	1.400 mg/L	Yes	133	F
169	Lake In The Hills	1.400 mg/L	Yes	4	A-
170	Westmont	1.400 mg/L	Yes	6	B-
171	Nashville	1.400 mg/L	Yes	27	C-
172	St. Charles	1.400 mg/L	Yes	17	F
173	La Salle	1.400 mg/L	Yes	6	B-
174	Milan	1.400 mg/L	Yes	28	D
175	Monticello	1.400 mg/L	Yes	0	A-
176	Eureka	1.400 mg/L	Yes	20	B
177	Creve Coeur	1.400 mg/L	Yes	4	A-
178	Paxton	1.400 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
179	Lakewood	1.400 mg/L	Yes	2	B-
180	Smithton	1.400 mg/L	Yes	7	B
181	Red Bud	1.400 mg/L	Yes	3	B-
182	Camp Point	1.400 mg/L	Yes	6	B+
183	El Paso	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
184	Cambridge	1.400 mg/L	Yes	11	A-
185	Fisher	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
186	Delavan	1.400 mg/L	Yes	2	B+
187	Lexington	1.400 mg/L	Yes	2	B+
188	Macon	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
189	Gridley	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
190	Onarga	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
191	Downs	1.400 mg/L	Yes	8	B
192	Homer	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
193	Minier	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A
194	Bismarck	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
195	Livingston	1.400 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
196	White Heath	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
197	Liberty	1.400 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
198	Round Lake Beach	1.390 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
199	Silvis	1.390 mg/L	Yes	14	F
200	Menard	1.390 mg/L	Yes	1	F
201	Oglesby	1.386 mg/L	Yes	6	B-
202	Harvard	1.380 mg/L	Yes	3	A
203	Pleasant Plains	1.380 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
204	Tower Lakes	1.380 mg/L	Yes	1	B-
205	Kirkwood	1.380 mg/L	Yes	27	B+
206	Cedarville	1.380 mg/L	Yes	2	B+
207	Worden	1.370 mg/L	Yes	2	B
208	Argenta	1.370 mg/L	Yes	0	B
209	La Moille	1.370 mg/L	Yes	1	C
210	Pontiac	1.362 mg/L	Yes	10	C
211	Bethalto	1.360 mg/L	Yes	0	A-
212	Rockdale	1.360 mg/L	Yes	36	C-
213	Grand Tower	1.360 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
214	Chillicothe	1.350 mg/L	Yes	11	D+
215	Aviston	1.350 mg/L	Yes	42	C-
216	Andalusia	1.350 mg/L	Yes	0	B+

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about copper in Illinois

Is copper in Illinois drinking water safe?

216 cities in Illinois exceed the EPA action level of 1.3 mg/L for copper. The state average is 5.902 mg/L. Copper levels are highest in homes with copper plumbing, particularly when water sits in pipes overnight. Flushing the tap before use significantly reduces copper in drinking water.

What causes high copper levels in Illinois tap water?

Copper typically leaches from copper pipes and brass fittings within homes, not from the water source itself. Corrosive (low pH or soft) water accelerates this leaching. Water utilities with high copper readings are required to adjust water chemistry to reduce corrosivity. You can reduce exposure by flushing your tap for 30 seconds before use.

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