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PFAS Contamination

PFAS in Illinois Drinking Water

Ranked by number of PFAS compounds detected · Data from EPA SDWIS & UCMR

415
Cities Tested
24
Exceeds Limit
6%
% Exceeds Limit
0.9 compounds
State Avg
▼ 15% vs national
vs National
687
Health Violations

PFAS in Illinois: what the data shows

Illinois has 415 cities with PFAS monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 5 program. PFAS ("forever chemicals") were detected in 177 of those cities (43%), with some cities exceeding the EPA's 2024 maximum contaminant levels of 4 ppt. The state average is better than the national average. 24 cities exceed the EPA MCL for at least one PFAS compound. PFAS are linked to cancer, immune system disruption, and developmental issues. The 2024 EPA rule requires water systems exceeding the MCL to notify customers and reduce levels by 2029. PFAS data comes from the EPA's Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule 5 (UCMR 5), which required large water systems to test for 29 PFAS compounds between 2023–2025. Not all systems have completed testing — cities without data may still have PFAS present.

Cities exceeding EPA MCL (4 ppt each)

Illinois
6%
24 of 415 cities
▼ 15% below national rate (better)
National avg
21%
1636 of 7745 cities

PFAS data across Illinois

Each dot is a city, colored by overall water quality grade. PFAS-tested cities are shown; those exceeding the 4 ppt EPA MCL appear in red. Size reflects population served.

All Illinois cities ranked by pfas level

# City Level Level Exceeds? Violations Grade
1 East Alton 9 compounds
Yes 0
B
2 Mchenry 8 compounds
Yes 57
F
3 Machesney Park 8 compounds
Yes 4
B
4 Collinsville 8 compounds
Yes 12
C-
5 Crest Hill 8 compounds
Yes 12
F
6 Pekin 8 compounds
Yes 1
D+
7 Channahon 7 compounds
Yes 45
B
8 Peoria 7 compounds
Yes 5
C-
9 South Elgin 6 compounds
Yes 28
C
10 Aurora 5 compounds
No 20
D
11 Edwardsville 5 compounds
Yes 18
D+
12 Galesburg 5 compounds
Yes 1
B
13 Lockport 5 compounds
No 20
F
14 Streator 5 compounds
No 14
A-
15 Cary 5 compounds
No 11
A-
16 Peoria Heights 5 compounds
No 5
B+
17 Granite City 5 compounds
No 0
B+
18 Millstadt 5 compounds
No 4
A-
19 Abingdon 5 compounds
Yes 10
B+
20 Lincoln 5 compounds
Yes 8
F
21 East St Louis 4 compounds
No 1
B+
22 Elgin 4 compounds
No 9
C-
23 Romeoville 4 compounds
No 17
A-
24 East Peoria 4 compounds
Yes 133
F
25 Cahokia 4 compounds
No 0
A+
26 Glen Carbon 4 compounds
No 0
B
27 Jerseyville 4 compounds
No 6
A-
28 Chester 4 compounds
No 7
A
29 Alton 4 compounds
No 1
B
30 Pocahontas 4 compounds
No 1
C+
31 Wilmington 4 compounds
No 10
C+
32 Fox River Grove 4 compounds
No 10
B
33 Dupo 4 compounds
Yes 0
B
34 Quincy 3 compounds
No 3
B-
35 Lake Zurich 3 compounds
No 35
B+
36 Canton 3 compounds
No 7
B+
37 Columbia 3 compounds
No 0
B+
38 Waterloo 3 compounds
No 1
C
39 La Salle 3 compounds
No 6
B-
40 Scott Air Force Base 3 compounds
No 3
A
41 Chillicothe 3 compounds
No 11
D+
42 Brighton 3 compounds
No 3
B+
43 South Jacksonville 3 compounds
No 3
C-
44 Pontoon Beach 3 compounds
No 1
B+
45 Cuba 3 compounds
No 5
A-
46 Moro 3 compounds
No 1
B
47 Joliet 2 compounds
No 131
F
48 Rockford 2 compounds
No 43
F
49 Libertyville 2 compounds
No 14
C
50 Rock Island 2 compounds
Yes 5
B-
51 O Fallon 2 compounds
No 17
A-
52 Crystal Lake 2 compounds
No 4
A-
53 Calumet City 2 compounds
No 3
C-
54 Saint Charles 2 compounds
No 3
B+
55 East Moline 2 compounds
No 18
D+
56 Shorewood 2 compounds
No 4
A-
57 Bethalto 2 compounds
No 0
A-
58 Troy 2 compounds
No 3
A-
59 Robinson 2 compounds
Yes 0
A-
60 Caseyville 2 compounds
No 3
B+
61 Minooka 2 compounds
No 6
A-
62 Sugar Grove 2 compounds
No 7
A-
63 Wood River 2 compounds
No 0
B+
64 Itasca 2 compounds
No 2
A
65 Mount Carmel 2 compounds
Yes 11
B
66 Pk Forest South 2 compounds
No 2
A
67 Genoa 2 compounds
No 4
A
68 Fulton 2 compounds
No 6
B
69 Dixmoor 2 compounds
Yes 4
B-
70 Pontiac 2 compounds
No 10
C
71 Chicago 1 compounds
No 68
F
72 Springfield 1 compounds
No 3
D
73 Bloomington 1 compounds
No 21
F
74 Godfrey 1 compounds
Yes 22
C+
75 Moline 1 compounds
No 7
C
76 Elmhurst 1 compounds
No 2
A-
77 De Kalb 1 compounds
No 7
B+
78 Carol Stream 1 compounds
No 1
A-
79 Oswego 1 compounds
No 24
A-
80 Carpentersville 1 compounds
No 0
B+
81 Marion 1 compounds
No 29
D
82 Dieterich 1 compounds
No 7
F
83 Geneva 1 compounds
No 67
B-
84 Danville 1 compounds
No 24
B
85 Mattoon 1 compounds
No 14
B-
86 Montgomery 1 compounds
No 4
A-
87 Lake In The Hills 1 compounds
No 4
A-
88 Oak Forest 1 compounds
No 0
B+
89 Charleston 1 compounds
No 10
C+
90 Batavia 1 compounds
No 33
B+
91 Belvidere 1 compounds
No 8
A-
92 West Chicago 1 compounds
No 22
A
93 Frankfort 1 compounds
No 7
B+
94 Zion 1 compounds
No 1
B
95 Freeport 1 compounds
Yes 19
B-
96 Jacksonville 1 compounds
No 28
B-
97 Macomb 1 compounds
No 39
D
98 Yorkville 1 compounds
No 83
C+
99 Nashville 1 compounds
No 27
C-
100 South Holland 1 compounds
No 5
B-
101 Park Forest 1 compounds
No 2
A
102 Homewood 1 compounds
Yes 2
C
103 Ottawa 1 compounds
No 62
F
104 Sycamore 1 compounds
No 31
A-
105 North Aurora 1 compounds
No 27
A-
106 Lemont 1 compounds
No 26
D
107 Morton 1 compounds
No 13
B-
108 Mount Vernon 1 compounds
No 2
B+
109 Effingham 1 compounds
No 2
A-
110 Murphysboro 1 compounds
No 8
B
111 Morris 1 compounds
No 74
F
112 Coleta 1 compounds
No 1
A-
113 Antioch 1 compounds
No 6
C-
114 Western Springs 1 compounds
No 2
B
115 Kewanee 1 compounds
No 34
B
116 Herrin 1 compounds
No 0
C+
117 Markham 1 compounds
No 7
B
118 Richton Park 1 compounds
No 5
F
119 Warrenville 1 compounds
No 0
B+
120 Peru 1 compounds
No 92
F
121 Summit 1 compounds
No 1
B+
122 Highland 1 compounds
No 16
B
123 Barrington 1 compounds
No 3
B+
124 St. Charles 1 compounds
No 17
F
125 Manhattan 1 compounds
No 21
C+
126 Sauk 1 compounds
No 5
D
127 Steger 1 compounds
No 8
B+
128 Silvis 1 compounds
No 14
F
129 Monmouth 1 compounds
No 29
A-
130 Crete 1 compounds
No 4
B
131 Eldorado 1 compounds
No 3
B-
132 Rock Falls 1 compounds
No 8
B
133 Geneseo 1 compounds
No 124
F
134 Island Lake 1 compounds
No 1
A-
135 South Beloit 1 compounds
No 3
A-
136 Rockton 1 compounds
No 31
C
137 Marengo 1 compounds
No 1
A-
138 Du Quoin 1 compounds
No 6
B
139 Elburn 1 compounds
No 63
D
140 Mendota 1 compounds
No 25
B
141 Pittsburg 1 compounds
No 0
B+
142 Mcleansboro 1 compounds
No 1
B-
143 Carterville 1 compounds
No 3
C+
144 Milan 1 compounds
No 28
D
145 Braidwood 1 compounds
No 14
A-
146 Coal City 1 compounds
No 40
D
147 Mount Zion 1 compounds
No 29
B-
148 Hoopeston 1 compounds
No 2
A-
149 Pana 1 compounds
No 39
B
150 Staunton 1 compounds
No 21
C+
151 Spring Valley 1 compounds
No 15
A
152 Marseilles 1 compounds
No 116
D
153 Mt Vernon 1 compounds
No 1
A
154 Anna 1 compounds
No 7
B-
155 Monee 1 compounds
No 2
B
156 Creve Coeur 1 compounds
No 4
A-
157 Valmeyer 1 compounds
No 1
C-
158 Coal Valley 1 compounds
No 12
F
159 Beecher 1 compounds
No 0
A-
160 Freeburg 1 compounds
Yes 7
A-
161 Hardin 1 compounds
No 4
A-
162 Oglesby 1 compounds
No 6
B-
163 Cortland 1 compounds
No 25
A
164 Morrison 1 compounds
No 3
B+
165 Peotone 1 compounds
No 3
A-
166 New Baden 1 compounds
Yes 2
A-
167 Wasco 1 compounds
No 14
A
168 Red Bud 1 compounds
No 3
B-
169 Woodlawn 1 compounds
No 1
A
170 Hainesville 1 compounds
No 3
B+
171 Johnston City 1 compounds
No 2
B
172 Gibson City 1 compounds
No 0
A
173 Bushnell 1 compounds
No 6
A
174 Gardner 1 compounds
No 24
B+
175 Andalusia 1 compounds
No 0
B+
176 Ashkum 1 compounds
No 11
C+
177 Champaign 1 compounds
No 0
A
178 Naperville 0 compounds
No 0
B+
179 Kankakee 0 compounds
No 40
F
180 Waukegan 0 compounds
No 5
B+
181 Cicero 0 compounds
No 3
B
182 Decatur 0 compounds
No 28
B
183 Schaumburg 0 compounds
No 17
B+
184 Evanston 0 compounds
No 1
A+
185 Bolingbrook 0 compounds
No 2
A
186 Arlington Heights 0 compounds
No 1
B-
187 Palatine 0 compounds
No 2
B
188 Skokie 0 compounds
No 9
C-
189 Des Plaines 0 compounds
No 0
B+
190 Normal 0 compounds
No 3
D+
191 Orland Park 0 compounds
No 0
A-
192 Oak Lawn 0 compounds
No 2
B
193 Berwyn 0 compounds
No 3
A-
194 Tinley Park 0 compounds
No 0
B+
195 Oak Park 0 compounds
No 2
A
196 Wheaton 0 compounds
No 2
B-
197 Plainfield 0 compounds
No 23
B-
198 Hoffman Estates 0 compounds
No 7
A+
199 Downers Grove 0 compounds
No 2
A
200 Glenview 0 compounds
No 3
B+
201 Northbrook 0 compounds
No 55
D
202 Lombard 0 compounds
No 1
A-
203 Buffalo Grove 0 compounds
No 1
A
204 Bartlett 0 compounds
No 49
B-
205 Mount Prospect 0 compounds
No 1
B+
206 Park Ridge 0 compounds
No 1
B
207 Wheeling 0 compounds
No 5
A+
208 Streamwood 0 compounds
No 2
A-
209 Addison 0 compounds
No 0
A
210 Hanover Park 0 compounds
No 3
A
211 Elk Grove 0 compounds
No 2
A-
212 Darien 0 compounds
No 6
C+
213 Woodridge 0 compounds
No 2
A-
214 Glendale Heights 0 compounds
No 1
A
215 Mundelein 0 compounds
No 22
F
216 Algonquin 0 compounds
No 6
A-
217 Gurnee 0 compounds
No 4
A
218 Highland Park 0 compounds
No 2
B+
219 Burbank (South Stickney) 0 compounds
No 7
B+
220 Niles 0 compounds
No 3
B
221 Lansing 0 compounds
No 2
B
222 Glen Ellyn 0 compounds
No 0
A-
223 Huntley 0 compounds
No 15
A
224 Franklin Park 0 compounds
No 5
B
225 Carbondale 0 compounds
No 26
D
226 New Lenox 0 compounds
No 7
D+
227 Round Lake Beach 0 compounds
No 3
B+
228 Wilmette 0 compounds
No 0
A
229 Chicago Heights 0 compounds
No 0
B+
230 Woodstock 0 compounds
No 3
B-
231 Morton Grove 0 compounds
No 2
B-
232 Westmont 0 compounds
No 6
B-
233 Elmwood Park 0 compounds
No 3
B+
234 Harvey 0 compounds
No 1
B
235 Melrose Park 0 compounds
No 6
C
236 Lisle 0 compounds
No 2
A-
237 Maywood 0 compounds
No 3
C+
238 Loves Park 0 compounds
No 35
B
239 Rolling Meadows 0 compounds
No 3
A
240 Centralia 0 compounds
No 2
B
241 Roselle 0 compounds
No 2
A-
242 Villa Park 0 compounds
No 2
A
243 Blue Island 0 compounds
No 19
C
244 Weston 0 compounds
No 6
A
245 Grays Lake 0 compounds
No 6
A
246 Dolton 0 compounds
No 2
C
247 Evergreen Park 0 compounds
No 0
B+
248 Mokena 0 compounds
No 2
A
249 Lake Forest 0 compounds
No 58
B-
250 Dixon 0 compounds
No 57
C
251 Deerfield 0 compounds
No 4
B
252 Bellwood 0 compounds
No 7
B+
253 Alsip 0 compounds
No 2
A-
254 Brookfield 0 compounds
No 0
A-
255 Bensenville 0 compounds
No 4
A
256 Palos Hills 0 compounds
No 3
A
257 Justice 0 compounds
No 0
A-
258 Round Lake 0 compounds
No 3
A-
259 Matteson 0 compounds
No 1
B
260 Hinsdale 0 compounds
No 0
A
261 North Chicago 0 compounds
No 5
B+
262 Country Club Hills 0 compounds
No 0
A-
263 Bridgeview 0 compounds
No 0
A-
264 Chatham 0 compounds
No 2
A
265 Westchester 0 compounds
No 2
B
266 La Grange 0 compounds
No 1
B
267 Palos Heights 0 compounds
No 1
A-
268 Norridge 0 compounds
No 0
A-
269 Washington 0 compounds
No 5
C
270 Midlothian 0 compounds
No 5
A-
271 Hickory Hills 0 compounds
No 1
A
272 Lindenhurst 0 compounds
No 0
B+
273 Forest Park 0 compounds
No 2
A-
274 Chicago Ridge 0 compounds
No 1
A-
275 Taylorville 0 compounds
No 0
A-
276 Wauconda 0 compounds
No 3
A
277 Wood Dale 0 compounds
No 0
A-
278 Rantoul 0 compounds
No 54
D
279 Lincolnwood 0 compounds
No 1
B+
280 Hazel Crest 0 compounds
No 2
B
281 La Grange Park 0 compounds
No 2
A
282 Oak Brook 0 compounds
No 8
D
283 North Lake 0 compounds
No 1
B+
284 Harrisburg 0 compounds
No 2
C+
285 Plano 0 compounds
No 0
B+
286 Winnetka 0 compounds
No 0
A
287 Benton 0 compounds
No 5
D
288 Mahomet 0 compounds
No 4
B+
289 River Forest 0 compounds
No 1
B+
290 Schiller Park 0 compounds
No 7
A-
291 Carlinville 0 compounds
No 74
D
292 Burr Ridge 0 compounds
No 0
A
293 Salem 0 compounds
No 7
C
294 Worth 0 compounds
No 3
A
295 Crestwood 0 compounds
No 0
B
296 Lyons 0 compounds
No 7
A-
297 River Grove 0 compounds
No 3
A-
298 Riverdale 0 compounds
No 6
B+
299 Maryville 0 compounds
No 2
A
300 Pittsfield 0 compounds
No 18
A
301 Fairfield 0 compounds
No 16
D+
302 Winfield 0 compounds
No 1
A
303 Marshall 0 compounds
No 0
A-
304 Harvard 0 compounds
No 3
A
305 Rochelle 0 compounds
No 11
A
306 Flossmoor 0 compounds
No 1
B+
307 Riverside 0 compounds
No 4
B+
308 Beach Park 0 compounds
No 3
B+
309 Lake Villa 0 compounds
No 2
A
310 Lynwood 0 compounds
No 3
B
311 Mascoutah 0 compounds
No 6
A-
312 Vandalia 0 compounds
No 13
B-
313 West Frankfort 0 compounds
No 6
B+
314 Paris 0 compounds
No 12
A
315 Harwood Heights 0 compounds
No 3
A-
316 Willowbrook 0 compounds
No 1
B
317 Glenwood 0 compounds
No 0
B+
318 Olney 0 compounds
No 3
F
319 Clarendon Hills 0 compounds
No 1
A-
320 Calumet Park 0 compounds
No 1
B-
321 Gilberts 0 compounds
No 0
A-
322 Greenville 0 compounds
No 5
A-
323 Pinckneyville 0 compounds
No 13
C+
324 Hillside 0 compounds
No 1
A
325 Lincolnshire 0 compounds
No 2
A
326 Park City 0 compounds
No 10
B
327 Long Creek 0 compounds
No 2
A
328 Broadview 0 compounds
No 3
B
329 West Dundee 0 compounds
No 7
A
330 Princeton 0 compounds
No 4
B-
331 Hampshire 0 compounds
No 15
B
332 Palos Park 0 compounds
No 1
B
333 Clayton 0 compounds
No 5
A-
334 Sullivan 0 compounds
No 5
A-
335 Galena 0 compounds
No 17
D+
336 Flora 0 compounds
No 9
A
337 Sandwich 0 compounds
No 10
B
338 Clinton 0 compounds
No 18
B+
339 Carmi 0 compounds
No 0
A
340 North Riverside 0 compounds
No 4
B+
341 Stickney 0 compounds
No 1
B+
342 Volo 0 compounds
No 11
C
343 Litchfield 0 compounds
No 5
D+
344 Lagrange 0 compounds
No 0
A-
345 Winthrop Harbor 0 compounds
No 7
C
346 Hillsboro 0 compounds
No 20
B-
347 Dekalb 0 compounds
No 2
A-
348 Carrollton 0 compounds
No 1
A-
349 Countryside 0 compounds
No 0
A
350 Brownstown 0 compounds
No 10
C+
351 Metropolis 0 compounds
No 0
A-
352 Carlyle 0 compounds
No 15
B
353 Williamsville 0 compounds
No 0
A+
354 Shelbyville 0 compounds
No 0
A-
355 Beardstown 0 compounds
No 1
A
356 Wonder Lake 0 compounds
No 6
C+
357 Lake Bluff 0 compounds
No 18
C+
358 Monticello 0 compounds
No 0
A-
359 Poplar Grove 0 compounds
No 8
C+
360 Watseka 0 compounds
No 9
A-
361 Petersburg 0 compounds
No 19
C+
362 Northfield 0 compounds
No 1
B-
363 Robbins 0 compounds
No 7
C-
364 Highwood 0 compounds
No 0
B
365 Posen 0 compounds
No 3
B+
366 Westhaven 0 compounds
No 3
A+
367 Eureka 0 compounds
No 20
B
368 Berkeley 0 compounds
No 4
A
369 Tuscola 0 compounds
No 0
A
370 Olympia Fields 0 compounds
No 0
B
371 Round Lake Park 0 compounds
No 1
B-
372 Breese 0 compounds
No 0
C+
373 Byron 0 compounds
No 1
C+
374 Aviston 0 compounds
No 42
C-
375 Cherry Valley 0 compounds
No 2
B+
376 Lebanon 0 compounds
No 6
A
377 Virden 0 compounds
No 15
A-
378 Stone Park 0 compounds
No 2
B+
379 Athens 0 compounds
No 0
B+
380 Auburn 0 compounds
No 5
A-
381 Dwight 0 compounds
No 8
B+
382 Paxton 0 compounds
No 0
B+
383 Sublette 0 compounds
No 15
A-
384 Lawrenceville 0 compounds
No 6
C+
385 Makanda 0 compounds
No 6
B+
386 Georgetown 0 compounds
No 50
B
387 Metamora 0 compounds
No 10
C
388 Sparta 0 compounds
No 21
B-
389 Riverton 0 compounds
No 0
B+
390 Hometown 0 compounds
No 2
A-
391 Rochester 0 compounds
No 0
A-
392 Burnham 0 compounds
No 3
C-
393 Rosemont 0 compounds
No 0
A-
394 South Chicago Heights 0 compounds
No 2
A-
395 Westville 0 compounds
No 13
B+
396 Gillespie 0 compounds
No 14
C+
397 Fairbury 0 compounds
No 1
A
398 Riverwoods 0 compounds
No 1
A+
399 Le Roy 0 compounds
No 12
D
400 Forsyth 0 compounds
No 2
A-
401 Aledo 0 compounds
No 6
A+
402 Oregon 0 compounds
No 4
B+
403 Mackinaw 0 compounds
No 1
A
404 Casey 0 compounds
No 16
B
405 Havana 0 compounds
No 0
A-
406 Kenilworth 0 compounds
No 1
A-
407 Tremont 0 compounds
No 1
A-
408 Mendon 0 compounds
No 2
A+
409 Kinmundy 0 compounds
No 14
A
410 Hanover 0 compounds
No 2
A
411 Dallas City 0 compounds
No 1
B+
412 Bluffs 0 compounds
No 0
A+
413 Buckley 0 compounds
No 0
A
414 Blandinsville 0 compounds
No 6
A
415 Xenia 0 compounds
No 6
A-

Frequently asked questions about pfas in Illinois

Does Illinois tap water contain PFAS?

PFAS were detected in 177 of 415 Illinois cities tested under EPA's UCMR 5 program. 24 cities exceed the 2024 EPA MCL of 4 ppt for individual PFAS compounds.

How can I remove PFAS from my drinking water in Illinois?

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are the most effective at removing PFAS, typically removing 90%+ of compounds. High-quality activated carbon block filters (NSF 58-certified for RO, or NSF 53 for solid carbon) also provide significant reduction. Standard pitcher filters vary widely in PFAS removal.