Is Crest Hill water safe to drink?

Crest Hill (PWS ID: IL1970250) has 190 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. PFAS contamination has been detected in UCMR5 testing, with 7 PFAS compounds found. EPA SDWIS lists this system's service population as 21,169 people using Groundwater sources.

How many people does Crest Hill serve?

EPA SDWIS reports that Crest Hill serves 21,169 people (this public water system's service population, not the municipal population of Crest Hill or any other city). It is a Local-owned system using Groundwater water sources with 6,500 service connections. The operator address is listed in Crest Hill, Illinois.

What type of violations does Crest Hill have?

Crest Hill has 190 total violations: 29 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 126 monitoring/reporting violations, and 12 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.

Has PFAS been detected in Crest Hill water?

Yes. UCMR5 testing detected 7 PFAS compounds in Crest Hill's water supply: PFBA, PFPeA, PFBS, PFHpA, PFHxS, and others. PFAS are persistent "forever chemicals" that do not break down in the environment.

What water source does Crest Hill use?

Crest Hill uses Groundwater as its primary water source. It is classified as a Community Water System (CWS), serving residential populations year-round.

Where does this data come from?

All data comes from the EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) and the UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program. SDWIS tracks compliance for all public water systems regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

Where does Crest Hill sit among U.S. public water systems?

According to EPA SDWIS population_served among sitemap-advertised systems (serving 500+), Crest Hill ranks #2,586 of 29,740 by people served, and #121 of 1,310 in Illinois. Ordinals use population_served DESC among systems serving 500+ (the sitemap cohort). See /methodology#corpus-placement.

How does Crest Hill's violation count compare nationally?

Crest Hill has 190 recorded EPA SDWIS violations, fewer than 15% of the 29,740 public water systems serving 500 or more people nationwide (the same sitemap cohort used for the corpus-placement ranking above). 85% of that cohort has fewer violations than Crest Hill. A system can have zero recorded violations and still be actively monitored, and a high violation count often reflects a system that reports thoroughly, not necessarily one with worse water.

States → Illinois

Community Water System · PWS IL1970250

Crest Hill

Operator location Crest Hill, Illinois - UCMR5 detected 7 PFAS compounds (upper-third PFAS panel (> 4 compounds)) on this PWS; SDWIS lists 190 violations and 21,169 people served.

Compiled by PlainWater · May 15, 2026

21,169
People served (this PWS) Larger third of systems: 190
EPA violations (this PWS) Upper third of systems: 29
Health-based (this PWS) Middle third by health-based share: 7 PFAS
UCMR5 (this PWS) Upper third of PFAS-detected systems

Follow published updates (RSS)

Crest Hill standing, high SDWIS violation third

UCMR5 detected 7 PFAS compounds - upper-third PFAS panel (> 4 compounds). Corpus terciles use 29,740 systems serving 500+ (the sitemap cohort). Health-based share 15% is middle-third health share (≤ 23%). UCMR5: upper-third PFAS panel (> 4 compounds). Population rank #2,586 of 29,740 among systems serving 500+.

The verdict

Crest Hill sits in the upper third of the sitemap cohort by violation count (190), so the tables below sample a dense compliance trail rather than a near-clean ledger. Population served is large (21,169; larger served population (> 3,309)), so household exposure scale sits behind the violation mix. Health-based share is 15% (middle-third health share (≤ 23%)). UCMR5 detected 7 PFAS compounds (upper-third PFAS panel (> 4 compounds)).

#2,586 of 29,740
Population · /systems: #121 of 1,310
Population · IL: 190
Total EPA violations on record: 15%
Health-based (MCL / treatment failure)

Population ordinals match the sitemap cohort (systems serving 500+, population_served DESC). See methodology · corpus placement.

PFAS Detected

7 PFAS "forever chemicals" detected in testing under EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program.

Water Safety Score

4/100

Crest Hill

Based on EPA SDWIS violation history and UCMR5 PFAS testing only, not water taste, odor, infrastructure age, or contaminants outside the federally tracked set.

Health-based violations F

EPA SDWIS health-based violations on record (MCL, MRDL, treatment technique)

Monitoring & reporting violations F

161

Non-health SDWIS violations (monitoring, reporting, and other compliance)

PFAS contamination F

0.0521 µg/L

Highest PFAS compound level detected in UCMR5 testing

System Details

System Type: Community
Owner Type: Local
Connections: 6,500
County: Will
School/Daycare: No
MCL Violations: 17
Monitoring Violations: 126
Treatment Tech Violations: 12

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant	Category	Count	Latest
Revised Total Coliform Rule	MON	27	2021
Chlorine	MR	24	2021
Coliform (TCR)	MCL	17	2001
Lead and Copper Rule	MR	14	2024
Lead and Copper Rule	TT	12	2024
TTHM	MR	8	2023
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)	MR	8	2023
Carbon tetrachloride	MR	6	1992
Trichloroethylene	MR	6	1992
Consumer Confidence Rule	Other	6	2025
Coliform (TCR)	MR	5	1997
Public Notice	Other	5	2025
p-Dichlorobenzene	MR	4	1990
1,1-Dichloroethylene	MR	4	1990
1,2-Dichloroethane	MR	4	1990
1,1,1-Trichloroethane	MR	4	1990
Benzene	MR	4	1990
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)	MR	4	2020
CYANIDE	MR	3	2020
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS	RPT	2	2025
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U	MR	1	1977

Violation Count vs. the National Corpus

Crest Hill has 190 recorded EPA violations, 85% of the 29,740 public water systems serving 500+ people nationwide carry fewer, and 15% carry more. 15% of this system's own violations are health-based (29 of 190), and it ranks #2,586 of 29,740 by population served among that same cohort.

EPA violations vs. the national water-system corpus

Public water systems serving 500+ people (EPA SDWIS)

190 Higher than most more violations than 85% of 29,740 water systems

the national water-system corpus, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more water systems. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source EPA SDWIS · 2026-05-15

How many violations vs. how serious, among peer systems

Crest Hill plotted against 29 peer public water systems (500+ people served), by total violation count (x) and the share of those violations that are health-based (y). The crosshair sits at this sample's own median on each axis. A high violation count does not automatically mean a serious record: most monitoring and reporting violations are minor, not health-based.

30 public water systems (500+ people served), EPA SDWIS current release.

How to read this

Each dot is one public water system; the highlighted dot is Crest Hill. A system to the right has more recorded violations; a system higher up has a larger share of those violations classified health-based rather than monitoring or reporting.

Rare but serious: few violations, but most of them are health-based.
Frequent, mostly paperwork: many violations, but mostly monitoring or reporting, not health-based.
Clean record: below-median on both counts, the tinted corner.

View all 30 systems as a list

City of Ballinger: 372 violations, 85% health-based
Nooksack Valley Water Association: 16 violations, 31% health-based
Montgomery Co RWD 12: 7 violations, 29% health-based
Irvin Water District #6: 11 violations, 27% health-based
Ticonderoga WD: 47 violations, 26% health-based
Pine Valley Plantation: 37 violations, 24% health-based
McLouth, City Of: 29 violations, 17% health-based
Kipling Oaks 1: 25 violations, 16% health-based
South Deerfield Water Supply District: 96 violations, 16% health-based
Sunset Ridge Water District: 82 violations, 15% health-based
Crest Hill: 190 violations, 15% health-based (this system)
Orange Water Dept: 136 violations, 14% health-based
Mount Pleasant Water Sys #1: 167 violations, 11% health-based
Lake Gibson Estates: 42 violations, 2% health-based
Benson Culinary Improvement District: 212 violations, 1% health-based
Conemaugh Twp Muni Auth: 567 violations, 1% health-based
Miccosukee Service Plaza: 0 violations, 0% health-based
Brazoria - Fort Bend Counties MUD 3: 0 violations, 0% health-based
Tanglewilde Thompson Place 600: 2 violations, 0% health-based
Center Water Co: 5 violations, 0% health-based
Spring Mills Elem School/Hvs: 9 violations, 0% health-based
Great Bend Industrial Park: 14 violations, 0% health-based
Glen Park Village: 19 violations, 0% health-based
Camp Is-Sho-Da: 22 violations, 0% health-based
Hamilton: 33 violations, 0% health-based
Town of Welaka: 54 violations, 0% health-based
Township of Blairstown Dpw: 61 violations, 0% health-based
McIntosh Water & Fire Pro Authority: 71 violations, 0% health-based
Clarkdale Municipal Water System: 114 violations, 0% health-based
Eureka Water Association: 273 violations, 0% health-based

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 68 of 406 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant	Date	Result	MRL	Status
PFMPA	6/12/2023	<4.00 ppt	4.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFHpS	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
ADONA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
HFPO-DA	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFBA	6/12/2023	12.50 ppt	5.00 ppt	Detected
6:2 FTS	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
8:2 FTS	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFUnA	6/12/2023	<2.00 ppt	2.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFPeA	6/12/2023	17.30 ppt	3.00 ppt	Detected
PFMBA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFEESA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
NFDHA	6/12/2023	<20.00 ppt	20.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFPeS	6/12/2023	<4.00 ppt	4.00 ppt	Not Detected
4:2 FTS	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFTA	6/12/2023	<8.00 ppt	8.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFBS	6/12/2023	27.80 ppt	3.00 ppt	Detected
PFHpA	6/12/2023	10.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Detected
PFHxS	6/12/2023	5.10 ppt	3.00 ppt	Detected
NMeFOSAA	6/12/2023	<6.00 ppt	6.00 ppt	Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS	6/12/2023	<2.00 ppt	2.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFTrDA	6/12/2023	<7.00 ppt	7.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFNA	6/12/2023	<4.00 ppt	4.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFOS	6/12/2023	<4.00 ppt	4.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFOA	6/12/2023	11.10 ppt	4.00 ppt	Detected
PFDA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFDoA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFHxA	6/12/2023	15.10 ppt	3.00 ppt	Detected
NEtFOSAA	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFDoA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFUnA	6/12/2023	<2.00 ppt	2.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFPeS	6/12/2023	<4.00 ppt	4.00 ppt	Not Detected
NFDHA	6/12/2023	<20.00 ppt	20.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFDA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFEESA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFMBA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFHxA	6/12/2023	3.50 ppt	3.00 ppt	Detected
PFPeA	6/12/2023	4.90 ppt	3.00 ppt	Detected
PFMPA	6/12/2023	<4.00 ppt	4.00 ppt	Not Detected
8:2 FTS	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
4:2 FTS	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
6:2 FTS	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFBA	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFOA	6/12/2023	<4.00 ppt	4.00 ppt	Not Detected
ADONA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS	6/12/2023	<2.00 ppt	2.00 ppt	Not Detected
HFPO-DA	6/12/2023	<5.00 ppt	5.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFNA	6/12/2023	<4.00 ppt	4.00 ppt	Not Detected
PFHxS	6/12/2023	9.90 ppt	3.00 ppt	Detected
PFHpA	6/12/2023	<3.00 ppt	3.00 ppt	Not Detected

UCMR5 PFAS record for Crest Hill

Open EPA SDWIS federal reports for PWS IL1970250 to cross-check UCMR5 detections and violation codes; state primacy agencies enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act locally.

EPA SDWIS · PWS IL1970250 IL primacy agency

Sources: EPA SDWIS · Illinois EPA, Bureau of Water

Nationwide peers

190 violations · 21,169 served: nearest cross-state SDWIS matches.

Cross-state systems with comparable violation load

Nearest cross-state community systems (500+ served) by total SDWIS violations on record.

4 peers

Cross-state systems with similar served population

Nearest cross-state systems by EPA SDWIS population_served (same 500+ sitemap gate).

4 peers

What to do with Crest Hill

Use this system's EPA-reported record as a starting filter, not a final verdict.

See how every tracked system in Illinois compares on the same EPA violation measures. Illinois systems
Check whether PFAS was detected at this system under UCMR5 testing. PFAS guide
Find and compare another public water system by name or PWSID. Search systems

EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 figures are informational only, not a substitute for a certified lab test of your own tap water.

Data sourced from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 PFAS monitoring data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater

Compiled by PlainWater, Drinking Water Quality Editorial Process · May 15, 2026

Every figure on PlainWater is rendered directly from EPA SDWIS drinking-water data, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.