Molybdenum Contamination

Molybdenum in Illinois Drinking Water

Ranked by max molybdenum detected (µg/L) · UCMR 3 data (2013–2015) · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

207

Cities Tested

Over HA

% Over HA

3.23 µg/L

State Avg

▼ 2% vs national

vs National

687

Health Violations

Analysis

Molybdenum in Illinois: what the data shows

Illinois has 207 cities with molybdenum data from the EPA's UCMR 3 program (2013–2015). Molybdenum exceeded the 40 µg/L EPA lifetime health advisory in 1 of those cities. The state average max detected level is 3.23 µg/L. Molybdenum is a naturally occurring trace element found in groundwater across the western United States, particularly in areas with shale or copper-mining geology. Industrial sources include mining, steel alloy production, and coal-fired power plants. There is no federal MCL — the EPA lifetime health advisory is 40 µg/L. Molybdenum is an essential nutrient at low doses, but chronic excess intake from drinking water has been linked to elevated uric acid, gout-like symptoms, and possible reproductive effects. Reverse osmosis is the most effective household treatment.

Comparison

Cities exceeding 40 µg/L EPA lifetime HA (no MCL)

Illinois

1 of 207 cities

← ▼ 2% below national rate (better)

National avg

36 of 2205 cities

City Map

Molybdenum data across Illinois

Each dot is a city with UCMR 3 molybdenum testing data. Cities where molybdenum exceeds the 40 µg/L EPA lifetime health advisory are highlighted. Size reflects population served.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by molybdenum level in Illinois

Highest Molybdenum levels (µg/L)

All Cities

All Illinois cities ranked by molybdenum level

#	City	Level	Over HA?	Violations	Grade
1	Lindenhurst	52.90 µg/L	Over HA	0	B+
2	Richton Park	30.69 µg/L	No	5	F
3	Peotone	26.25 µg/L	No	3	A-
4	Antioch	23.08 µg/L	No	6	C-
5	Lake Bluff	23.00 µg/L	No	18	C+
6	Frankfort	22.30 µg/L	No	7	B+
7	Rockford	18.78 µg/L	No	43	F
8	Wauconda	18.02 µg/L	No	3	A
9	Park Forest	16.00 µg/L	No	2	A
10	Lockport	14.10 µg/L	No	20	F
11	Crest Hill	14.00 µg/L	No	12	F
12	Morton	13.73 µg/L	No	13	B-
13	Shorewood	13.70 µg/L	No	4	A-
14	Warrenville	12.30 µg/L	No	0	B+
15	Pontiac	9.70 µg/L	No	10	C
16	Sauk	9.40 µg/L	No	5	D
17	Dekalb	8.10 µg/L	No	2	A-
18	North Pekin	7.82 µg/L	No	1	A-
19	Eureka	7.53 µg/L	No	20	B
20	Streator	7.50 µg/L	No	14	A-
21	Dwight	7.26 µg/L	No	8	B+
22	Champaign	7.20 µg/L	No	0	A
23	Peoria	6.20 µg/L	No	5	C-
24	Cary	5.51 µg/L	No	11	A-
25	Kankakee	5.50 µg/L	No	40	F
26	East Peoria	5.25 µg/L	No	133	F
27	Romeoville	5.20 µg/L	No	17	A-
28	West Chicago	5.00 µg/L	No	22	A
29	De Kalb	4.80 µg/L	No	7	B+
30	Ottawa	4.66 µg/L	No	62	F
31	Gifford	4.40 µg/L	No	0	B
32	Farmer City	4.33 µg/L	No	1	B-
33	Hanover Park	4.30 µg/L	No	3	A
34	Normal	4.05 µg/L	No	3	D+
35	Plano	3.96 µg/L	No	0	B+
36	Barrington	3.90 µg/L	No	3	B+
37	Bartlett	3.80 µg/L	No	49	B-
38	Alton	3.10 µg/L	No	1	B
39	Minooka	2.90 µg/L	No	6	A-
40	Canton	2.80 µg/L	No	7	B+
41	Granite City	2.70 µg/L	No	0	B+
42	Joliet	2.60 µg/L	No	131	F
43	East St Louis	2.60 µg/L	No	1	B+
44	Saint Charles	2.60 µg/L	No	3	B+
45	Danville	2.60 µg/L	No	24	B
46	Lake In The Hills	2.43 µg/L	No	4	A-
47	Loves Park	2.41 µg/L	No	35	B
48	Jerseyville	2.31 µg/L	No	6	A-
49	Aurora	2.30 µg/L	No	20	D
50	O Fallon	2.30 µg/L	No	17	A-
51	Caseyville	2.30 µg/L	No	3	B+
52	Algonquin	2.17 µg/L	No	6	A-
53	South Elgin	2.06 µg/L	No	28	C
54	Pekin	2.00 µg/L	No	1	D+
55	Mchenry	1.93 µg/L	No	57	F
56	Elgin	1.90 µg/L	No	9	C-
57	Carpentersville	1.85 µg/L	No	0	B+
58	Jacksonville	1.81 µg/L	No	28	B-
59	Rantoul	1.80 µg/L	No	54	D
60	Freeburg	1.80 µg/L	No	7	A-
61	Woodstock	1.80 µg/L	No	3	B-
62	Sleepy Hollow	1.77 µg/L	No	4	A-
63	Belvidere	1.74 µg/L	No	8	A-
64	Rock Island	1.72 µg/L	No	5	B-
65	Crystal Lake	1.70 µg/L	No	4	A-
66	Benton	1.70 µg/L	No	5	D
67	Carterville	1.66 µg/L	No	3	C+
68	Washington	1.64 µg/L	No	5	C
69	Quincy	1.62 µg/L	No	3	B-
70	Glenwood	1.62 µg/L	No	0	B+
71	Herrin	1.58 µg/L	No	0	C+
72	Chicago Heights	1.50 µg/L	No	0	B+
73	Batavia	1.50 µg/L	No	33	B+
74	Mount Vernon	1.50 µg/L	No	2	B+
75	Mascoutah	1.50 µg/L	No	6	A-
76	Wood River	1.45 µg/L	No	0	B+
77	Edwardsville	1.42 µg/L	No	18	D+
78	Evanston	1.40 µg/L	No	1	A+
79	Godfrey	1.40 µg/L	No	22	C+
80	Oak Lawn	1.40 µg/L	No	2	B
81	Rochelle	1.40 µg/L	No	11	A
82	Chatham	1.39 µg/L	No	2	A
83	Marion	1.38 µg/L	No	29	D
84	Moline	1.33 µg/L	No	7	C
85	East Moline	1.33 µg/L	No	18	D+
86	Springfield	1.30 µg/L	No	3	D
87	Bloomington	1.30 µg/L	No	21	F
88	Orland Park	1.30 µg/L	No	0	A-
89	Libertyville	1.30 µg/L	No	14	C
90	Calumet City	1.30 µg/L	No	3	C-
91	Melrose Park	1.30 µg/L	No	6	C
92	Rolling Meadows	1.30 µg/L	No	3	A
93	South Holland	1.30 µg/L	No	5	B-
94	Homewood	1.30 µg/L	No	2	C
95	Hickory Hills	1.30 µg/L	No	1	A
96	Salem	1.30 µg/L	No	7	C
97	Riverdale	1.30 µg/L	No	6	B+
98	Waverly	1.30 µg/L	No	22	A
99	Tamaroa	1.30 µg/L	No	0	A-
100	Country Club Hills	1.30 µg/L	No	0	A-
101	Lansing	1.29 µg/L	No	2	B
102	Summit	1.29 µg/L	No	1	B+
103	Mundelein	1.27 µg/L	No	22	F
104	Worth	1.23 µg/L	No	3	A
105	Charleston	1.22 µg/L	No	10	C+
106	Bolingbrook	1.20 µg/L	No	2	A
107	Tinley Park	1.20 µg/L	No	0	B+
108	Oak Park	1.20 µg/L	No	2	A
109	Wheaton	1.20 µg/L	No	2	B-
110	Plainfield	1.20 µg/L	No	23	B-
111	Hoffman Estates	1.20 µg/L	No	7	A+
112	Downers Grove	1.20 µg/L	No	2	A
113	Glenview	1.20 µg/L	No	3	B+
114	Northbrook	1.20 µg/L	No	55	D
115	Mount Prospect	1.20 µg/L	No	1	B+
116	Carol Stream	1.20 µg/L	No	1	A-
117	Park Ridge	1.20 µg/L	No	1	B
118	Woodridge	1.20 µg/L	No	2	A-
119	Gurnee	1.20 µg/L	No	4	A
120	Franklin Park	1.20 µg/L	No	5	B
121	New Lenox	1.20 µg/L	No	7	D+
122	Westmont	1.20 µg/L	No	6	B-
123	Harvey	1.20 µg/L	No	1	B
124	Maywood	1.20 µg/L	No	3	C+
125	Blue Island	1.20 µg/L	No	19	C
126	Dolton	1.20 µg/L	No	2	C
127	Evergreen Park	1.20 µg/L	No	0	B+
128	Mokena	1.20 µg/L	No	2	A
129	Dixon	1.20 µg/L	No	57	C
130	Bellwood	1.20 µg/L	No	7	B+
131	Alsip	1.20 µg/L	No	2	A-
132	Brookfield	1.20 µg/L	No	0	A-
133	Bensenville	1.20 µg/L	No	4	A
134	Palos Hills	1.20 µg/L	No	3	A
135	Round Lake	1.20 µg/L	No	3	A-
136	Matteson	1.20 µg/L	No	1	B
137	Palos Heights	1.20 µg/L	No	1	A-
138	Midlothian	1.20 µg/L	No	5	A-
139	Forest Park	1.20 µg/L	No	2	A-
140	Chicago Ridge	1.20 µg/L	No	1	A-
141	Wood Dale	1.20 µg/L	No	0	A-
142	Lincolnwood	1.20 µg/L	No	1	B+
143	Oak Brook	1.20 µg/L	No	8	D
144	Markham	1.20 µg/L	No	7	B
145	River Grove	1.20 µg/L	No	3	A-
146	Westhaven	1.20 µg/L	No	3	A+
147	Burr Ridge	1.19 µg/L	No	0	A
148	Hazel Crest	1.19 µg/L	No	2	B
149	Grays Lake	1.19 µg/L	No	6	A
150	Winnetka	1.17 µg/L	No	0	A
151	Round Lake Beach	1.17 µg/L	No	3	B+
152	Oak Forest	1.16 µg/L	No	0	B+
153	Elk Grove	1.16 µg/L	No	2	A-
154	Collinsville	1.16 µg/L	No	12	C-
155	Lake Forest	1.15 µg/L	No	58	B-
156	La Grange Park	1.14 µg/L	No	2	A
157	Crestwood	1.14 µg/L	No	0	B
158	Palatine	1.13 µg/L	No	2	B
159	Zion	1.13 µg/L	No	1	B
160	Wheeling	1.12 µg/L	No	5	A+
161	Bridgeview	1.12 µg/L	No	0	A-
162	North Chicago	1.11 µg/L	No	5	B+
163	Waukegan	1.10 µg/L	No	5	B+
164	Chicago	1.10 µg/L	No	68	F
165	Naperville	1.10 µg/L	No	0	B+
166	Cicero	1.10 µg/L	No	3	B
167	Schaumburg	1.10 µg/L	No	17	B+
168	Skokie	1.10 µg/L	No	9	C-
169	Des Plaines	1.10 µg/L	No	0	B+
170	Berwyn	1.10 µg/L	No	3	A-
171	Elmhurst	1.10 µg/L	No	2	A-
172	Lombard	1.10 µg/L	No	1	A-
173	Streamwood	1.10 µg/L	No	2	A-
174	Addison	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A
175	Darien	1.10 µg/L	No	6	C+
176	Glendale Heights	1.10 µg/L	No	1	A
177	Highland Park	1.10 µg/L	No	2	B+
178	Burbank (South Stickney)	1.10 µg/L	No	7	B+
179	Niles	1.10 µg/L	No	3	B
180	Montgomery	1.10 µg/L	No	4	A-
181	Glen Ellyn	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A-
182	Wilmette	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A
183	Morton Grove	1.10 µg/L	No	2	B-
184	Elmwood Park	1.10 µg/L	No	3	B+
185	Lisle	1.10 µg/L	No	2	A-
186	Roselle	1.10 µg/L	No	2	A-
187	Nashville	1.10 µg/L	No	27	C-
188	Weston	1.10 µg/L	No	6	A
189	Deerfield	1.10 µg/L	No	4	B
190	Sycamore	1.10 µg/L	No	31	A-
191	Hinsdale	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A
192	Troy	1.10 µg/L	No	3	A-
193	Westchester	1.10 µg/L	No	2	B
194	La Grange	1.10 µg/L	No	1	B
195	Norridge	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A-
196	North Lake	1.10 µg/L	No	1	B+
197	River Forest	1.10 µg/L	No	1	B+
198	Schiller Park	1.10 µg/L	No	7	A-
199	Lyons	1.10 µg/L	No	7	A-
200	Lincoln	1.10 µg/L	No	8	F
201	Justice	1.10 µg/L	No	0	A-
202	Arlington Heights	1.08 µg/L	No	1	B-
203	Buffalo Grove	1.07 µg/L	No	1	A
204	Decatur	1.07 µg/L	No	28	B
205	Villa Park	1.04 µg/L	No	2	A
206	Good Hope	1.03 µg/L	No	4	A-
207	Effingham	1.00 µg/L	No	2	A-

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about molybdenum in Illinois

Is molybdenum in Illinois tap water harmful?

Molybdenum is an essential trace nutrient at low levels, but chronic exposure above the EPA's 40 µg/L lifetime health advisory has been associated with elevated uric acid, gout-like joint pain, and possible reproductive effects. 1 cities in Illinois exceed the 40 µg/L health advisory.

Where does molybdenum come from?

Molybdenum occurs naturally in groundwater, especially in the western US in regions with shale, copper mining, or molybdenum mining geology. Industrial sources include mining tailings, steel alloy production, and coal ash. Surface-water systems generally have lower molybdenum than groundwater.

How can I remove molybdenum from drinking water?

Reverse osmosis is the most effective household treatment for molybdenum, typically removing 90%+. Anion exchange and some specialty media (like activated alumina) also work. Standard activated carbon filters are NOT effective against molybdenum.

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