Copper Contamination

Copper in Illinois Drinking Water

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

220

Cities Tested

220

Exceeds Limit

100%

% Exceeds Limit

5.825 mg/L

State Avg

▼ 0% vs national

vs National

695

Health Violations

Analysis

Copper in Illinois: what the data shows

Illinois has 220 cities with copper monitoring data. The state average 90th percentile copper level is 5.825 mg/L, compared to 28.808 mg/L nationally — better than the national average. 220 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%

220 of 220 cities

← = Exactly at national rate

National avg

100%

3953 of 3953 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	A-
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	Secor	2.050 mg/L	Yes	12	D
32	Winfield	2.040 mg/L	Yes	1	A
33	Lenzburg	2.020 mg/L	Yes	3	B
34	Washington	2.007 mg/L	Yes	5	C
35	Hebron	2.000 mg/L	Yes	2	B
36	Coal Valley	1.990 mg/L	Yes	12	F
37	Olney	1.976 mg/L	Yes	3	F
38	Island Lake	1.960 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
39	Findlay	1.960 mg/L	Yes	21	B-
40	Ashkum	1.960 mg/L	Yes	11	C+
41	Martinsville	1.930 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
42	Colfax	1.920 mg/L	Yes	5	B-
43	Libertyville	1.900 mg/L	Yes	14	C
44	Salem	1.900 mg/L	Yes	7	C
45	Wonder Lake	1.900 mg/L	Yes	6	C+
46	Riverton	1.900 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
47	Danvers	1.900 mg/L	Yes	48	B-
48	Albers	1.900 mg/L	Yes	8	B-
49	Warrensburg	1.900 mg/L	Yes	4	B-
50	Washburn	1.900 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
51	Peoria	1.894 mg/L	Yes	5	D+
52	Equality	1.890 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
53	Prospect Heights	1.880 mg/L	Yes	9	B+
54	Marseilles	1.870 mg/L	Yes	116	D
55	Cerro Gordo	1.870 mg/L	Yes	0	A-
56	Evansville	1.870 mg/L	Yes	13	C+
57	Kankakee	1.860 mg/L	Yes	40	F
58	Gilman	1.840 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
59	Coleta	1.828 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
60	Newark	1.820 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
61	Quincy	1.810 mg/L	Yes	3	B-
62	Arthur	1.800 mg/L	Yes	0	B
63	Mackinaw	1.800 mg/L	Yes	1	A
64	Chebanse	1.800 mg/L	Yes	6	B+
65	Prairie Du Rochr	1.800 mg/L	Yes	1	B-
66	Burlington	1.800 mg/L	Yes	5	B+
67	Germantown	1.780 mg/L	Yes	1	C+
68	Lancaster	1.770 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
69	Lawrencville	1.760 mg/L	Yes	17	B
70	Kansas	1.760 mg/L	Yes	2	D+
71	Thomasboro	1.730 mg/L	Yes	1	B
72	Port Byron	1.728 mg/L	Yes	4	B-
73	Mchenry	1.720 mg/L	Yes	57	F
74	Westfield	1.720 mg/L	Yes	4	C-
75	De Kalb	1.700 mg/L	Yes	7	B+
76	Highland	1.700 mg/L	Yes	16	B
77	Sugar Grove	1.700 mg/L	Yes	7	A-
78	Rockton	1.700 mg/L	Yes	31	C
79	Metamora	1.700 mg/L	Yes	10	C
80	Wasco	1.700 mg/L	Yes	14	A
81	Casey	1.700 mg/L	Yes	16	B
82	Colona	1.700 mg/L	Yes	27	C+
83	Maroa	1.700 mg/L	Yes	10	A-
84	Chrisman	1.700 mg/L	Yes	36	F
85	Ridgway	1.700 mg/L	Yes	7	B+
86	East Galesburg	1.700 mg/L	Yes	0	B
87	Hanaford	1.700 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
88	Troy	1.690 mg/L	Yes	3	A-
89	Hoopeston	1.690 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
90	Crest Hill	1.686 mg/L	Yes	12	F
91	Hampshire	1.680 mg/L	Yes	15	B
92	Annawan	1.670 mg/L	Yes	5	A-
93	Bartelso	1.670 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
94	Villa Grove	1.660 mg/L	Yes	4	B+
95	Forsyth	1.650 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
96	Oak Brook	1.640 mg/L	Yes	8	D
97	Gardner	1.631 mg/L	Yes	24	B+
98	Darien	1.620 mg/L	Yes	6	C+
99	Lena	1.620 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
100	Windsor	1.620 mg/L	Yes	11	C-
101	Lincoln	1.619 mg/L	Yes	8	F
102	Wilmington	1.615 mg/L	Yes	10	C+
103	Galesburg	1.600 mg/L	Yes	1	B
104	Algonquin	1.600 mg/L	Yes	6	A-
105	East Moline	1.600 mg/L	Yes	18	D+
106	Dwight	1.600 mg/L	Yes	8	B+
107	Bushnell	1.600 mg/L	Yes	6	A
108	Tremont	1.600 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
109	Lewistown	1.600 mg/L	Yes	3	A-
110	St Rose	1.600 mg/L	Yes	8	D
111	Lovington	1.600 mg/L	Yes	1	B-
112	Gifford	1.600 mg/L	Yes	0	B
113	Cisne	1.600 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
114	Good Hope	1.600 mg/L	Yes	4	A-
115	Clifton	1.585 mg/L	Yes	3	C
116	Fox Lake	1.580 mg/L	Yes	5	C+
117	Newman	1.580 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
118	Oak Brook Terr	1.570 mg/L	Yes	7	B+
119	Fox River Grove	1.560 mg/L	Yes	10	B
120	Mazon	1.540 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
121	Towanda	1.540 mg/L	Yes	4	B-
122	Cordova	1.530 mg/L	Yes	2	B-
123	Dieterich	1.520 mg/L	Yes	7	F
124	Arenzville	1.510 mg/L	Yes	15	A-
125	Pekin	1.500 mg/L	Yes	1	D+
126	Woodstock	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B-
127	South Elgin	1.500 mg/L	Yes	28	C
128	Morton	1.500 mg/L	Yes	13	B-
129	Mahomet	1.500 mg/L	Yes	4	B+
130	Dallas City	1.500 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
131	Volo	1.500 mg/L	Yes	11	C
132	Peoria Heights	1.500 mg/L	Yes	5	B+
133	Hainesville	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
134	Lakemoor	1.500 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
135	Amboy	1.500 mg/L	Yes	0	B
136	Bement	1.500 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
137	Ridge Farm	1.500 mg/L	Yes	2	C+
138	Albany	1.500 mg/L	Yes	2	D+
139	Alexis	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
140	Paloma	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
141	Tiskilwa	1.500 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
142	Golden	1.500 mg/L	Yes	0	A
143	Nebo	1.500 mg/L	Yes	1	D
144	Augusta	1.500 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
145	Roodhouse	1.490 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
146	New Memphis	1.490 mg/L	Yes	4	B+
147	Rockford	1.480 mg/L	Yes	43	F
148	Dekalb	1.480 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
149	Sublette	1.470 mg/L	Yes	15	A-
150	Maryville	1.461 mg/L	Yes	2	A
151	Farmer City	1.460 mg/L	Yes	1	B-
152	Atlanta	1.460 mg/L	Yes	8	B+
153	Walnut	1.460 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
154	Danforth	1.460 mg/L	Yes	5	C
155	Braceville	1.450 mg/L	Yes	9	C
156	Clayton	1.440 mg/L	Yes	5	A-
157	Bridgeport	1.440 mg/L	Yes	12	B-
158	Payson	1.440 mg/L	Yes	3	A-
159	Camargo	1.440 mg/L	Yes	7	B
160	Barrington	1.434 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
161	Sumner	1.430 mg/L	Yes	6	B+
162	Kingston	1.430 mg/L	Yes	9	C+
163	Roseville	1.430 mg/L	Yes	11	A-
164	Chapin	1.430 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
165	Vernon Hills	1.420 mg/L	Yes	4	B+
166	Brownstown	1.420 mg/L	Yes	10	C+
167	Wyanet	1.414 mg/L	Yes	2	B+
168	Godfrey	1.413 mg/L	Yes	22	C+
169	Marengo	1.410 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
170	Atwood	1.410 mg/L	Yes	4	A-
171	Carpentersville	1.400 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
172	East Peoria	1.400 mg/L	Yes	133	F
173	Lake In The Hills	1.400 mg/L	Yes	4	A-
174	Westmont	1.400 mg/L	Yes	6	B-
175	Nashville	1.400 mg/L	Yes	27	C-
176	St. Charles	1.400 mg/L	Yes	17	F
177	Eureka	1.400 mg/L	Yes	20	B
178	La Salle	1.400 mg/L	Yes	6	B-
179	Milan	1.400 mg/L	Yes	28	D
180	Monticello	1.400 mg/L	Yes	0	A-
181	Creve Coeur	1.400 mg/L	Yes	4	A-
182	Paxton	1.400 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
183	Smithton	1.400 mg/L	Yes	7	B
184	Lakewood	1.400 mg/L	Yes	2	B-
185	Red Bud	1.400 mg/L	Yes	3	B-
186	Camp Point	1.400 mg/L	Yes	6	B+
187	El Paso	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
188	Cambridge	1.400 mg/L	Yes	11	A-
189	Fisher	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
190	Delavan	1.400 mg/L	Yes	2	B+
191	Lexington	1.400 mg/L	Yes	2	B+
192	Macon	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
193	Gridley	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
194	Onarga	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
195	Downs	1.400 mg/L	Yes	8	B
196	Homer	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
197	Minier	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A
198	Bismarck	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	B+
199	Livingston	1.400 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
200	White Heath	1.400 mg/L	Yes	1	A-
201	Liberty	1.400 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
202	Round Lake Beach	1.390 mg/L	Yes	3	B+
203	Silvis	1.390 mg/L	Yes	14	F
204	Menard	1.390 mg/L	Yes	1	F
205	Oglesby	1.386 mg/L	Yes	6	B-
206	Harvard	1.380 mg/L	Yes	3	A
207	Pleasant Plains	1.380 mg/L	Yes	0	B+
208	Tower Lakes	1.380 mg/L	Yes	1	B-
209	Kirkwood	1.380 mg/L	Yes	27	B+
210	Cedarville	1.380 mg/L	Yes	2	B+
211	Worden	1.370 mg/L	Yes	2	B
212	Argenta	1.370 mg/L	Yes	0	B
213	La Moille	1.370 mg/L	Yes	1	C
214	Pontiac	1.362 mg/L	Yes	10	C
215	Bethalto	1.360 mg/L	Yes	0	A-
216	Rockdale	1.360 mg/L	Yes	36	C-
217	Grand Tower	1.360 mg/L	Yes	2	A-
218	Chillicothe	1.350 mg/L	Yes	11	D+
219	Aviston	1.350 mg/L	Yes	42	C-
220	Andalusia	1.350 mg/L	Yes	0	B+

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about copper in Illinois

Is copper in Illinois drinking water safe?

220 cities in Illinois exceed the EPA action level of 1.3 mg/L for copper. The state average is 5.825 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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