PFAS Contamination

PFAS in Illinois Drinking Water

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

419

Cities Tested

Exceeds Limit

% Exceeds Limit

0.9 compounds

State Avg

▼ 15% vs national

vs National

695

Health Violations

Analysis

PFAS in Illinois: what the data shows

Illinois has 419 cities with PFAS monitoring data from the EPA's UCMR 5 program. PFAS ("forever chemicals") were detected in 178 of those cities (42%), with some cities exceeding the EPA's 2024 maximum contaminant levels of 4 ppt. The state average is better than the national average. 25 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.

Comparison

Cities exceeding EPA MCL (4 ppt each)

Illinois

25 of 419 cities

← ▼ 15% below national rate (better)

National avg

21%

1662 of 7853 cities

City Map

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.

Worst Offenders

Top 10 cities by pfas level in Illinois

Highest PFAS levels (compounds)

All Cities

All Illinois cities ranked by pfas level

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

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about pfas in Illinois

Does Illinois tap water contain PFAS?

PFAS were detected in 178 of 419 Illinois cities tested under EPA's UCMR 5 program. 25 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.

More contaminants