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EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS

PWS ID: IN5245012 · EAST CHICAGO, Indiana 46312

EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS serves 26,370 people in EAST CHICAGO, Indiana using Surface Water water sources. It has 148 recorded EPA violations, including 4 health-based violations. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing.

Water Quality Snapshot: EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS

EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS is a local-owned community water system that delivers drinking water to 26,370 residents in EAST CHICAGO, Indiana (Lake County) through 7,000 service connections. Its water is drawn from surface water sources. EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System records 148 total violations for this system , of which 4 (3%) are health-based — meaning a contaminant exceeded an EPA Maximum Contaminant Level or a required treatment technique failed. A further 130 monitoring and reporting violations are on file. The most recent violation on record dates to 2025.

The most frequently cited contaminant at this system is TTHM, recorded in 16 violations (MR). This system was sampled under EPA's UCMR5 PFAS monitoring program and no PFAS compounds were detected above the minimum reporting level.

Across Indiana, EPA tracks 3,967 public water systems serving 5,774,616 people, with 352,710 cumulative violations and 35,932 health-based violations on record. About 96% of systems in the state carry at least one violation, and state-wide the average per system is 88.9 violations. EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS's 148 violations sit above the Indiana average. Statewide, 93 of 229 UCMR5-tested systems have reported PFAS detections (40.6%). All figures above are sourced directly from EPA SDWIS and UCMR5 public data releases and are updated as EPA publishes new reporting cycles.

Population Served
26,370
Total Violations
148
Health-Based Violations
4
Water Source
Surface Water

System Details

System Type
Community
Owner Type
Local
Connections
7,000
County
Lake
School/Daycare
No
MCL Violations
0
Monitoring Violations
130
Treatment Tech Violations
4

Violation History

Contaminant violations recorded by EPA.

Contaminant Category Count Latest
TTHM MR 16 2024
Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 16 2024
Revised Total Coliform Rule RPT 7 2025
Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 2015
Endrin MR 3 1994
Endothall MR 3 1994
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MR 3 1994
Diquat MR 3 1994
2,4-D MR 3 1994
Chlordane MR 3 1994
Carbofuran MR 3 1994
Benzo(a)pyrene MR 3 1994
Aldicarb sulfoxide MR 3 1994
Revised Total Coliform Rule Other 3 2021
Consumer Confidence Rule Other 3 2022
Lead and Copper Rule MR 3 2024
Toxaphene MR 3 1994
BHC-GAMMA MR 3 1994
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene MR 3 1994
HEXACHLOROBENZENE MR 3 1994
Heptachlor epoxide MR 3 1994
Heptachlor MR 3 1994
ETHYLENE DIBROMIDE MR 3 1994
1,2-DIBROMO-3-CHLOROPROPANE MR 3 1994
2,3,7,8-TCDD MR 3 1994
Dalapon MR 3 1994
LASSO MR 3 1994
Dinoseb MR 3 1994
Total Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) MR 3 1994
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate MR 3 1994

PFAS Testing Results (UCMR5)

Results from EPA's Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule. 0 of 120 samples detected PFAS.

Contaminant Date Result MRL Status
PFTrDA 9/18/2024 <0.007 µg/L 0.007 µg/L Not Detected
PFTA 9/18/2024 <0.008 µg/L 0.008 µg/L Not Detected
NMeFOSAA 9/18/2024 <0.006 µg/L 0.006 µg/L Not Detected
lithium 9/18/2024 <9 µg/L 9 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
NEtFOSAA 9/18/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 9/18/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 9/18/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 9/18/2024 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFEESA 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeA 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMPA 9/18/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
8:2 FTS 9/18/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 9/18/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 9/18/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 9/18/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 9/18/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 9/18/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFOS 9/18/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFNA 9/18/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 9/18/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 9/18/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFDA 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpA 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxS 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
ADONA 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
9Cl-PF3ONS 7/24/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
11Cl-PF3OUdS 7/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFUnA 7/24/2024 <0.002 µg/L 0.002 µg/L Not Detected
PFBS 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFDoA 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFOA 7/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
HFPO-DA 7/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
PFHpS 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFPeS 7/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
NFDHA 7/24/2024 <0.02 µg/L 0.02 µg/L Not Detected
PFHxA 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFMBA 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected
PFOS 7/24/2024 <0.004 µg/L 0.004 µg/L Not Detected
PFBA 7/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
6:2 FTS 7/24/2024 <0.005 µg/L 0.005 µg/L Not Detected
4:2 FTS 7/24/2024 <0.003 µg/L 0.003 µg/L Not Detected

Verify This Water System

The figures above are aggregated from EPA's public databases. To verify the underlying records — or to file a complaint, request a Consumer Confidence Report, or check current monitoring status — go directly to the federal and state regulators that enforce the Safe Drinking Water Act for EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS.

Federal Source of Truth

EPA SDWIS — Federal Reports

EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) holds the federal compliance record for every regulated public water system. Open the system-level report by PWS ID:

View PWS ID IN5245012 on SDWIS

Source: EPA SDWIS Federal Reports Search

State Regulator

Indiana Drinking Water Authority

Indiana Department of Environmental Management — Drinking Water Branch is the primacy agency that licenses and inspects EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS under EPA-delegated authority.

Open IN regulator portal

Source: Indiana Department of Environmental Management — Drinking Water Branch

Violation Timeline

Each row links to the EPA SDWIS public record for verification. Cross-reference the contaminant code on EPA's federal report to see violation dates, return-to-compliance status, and enforcement actions.

Year (latest) Contaminant Category Count EPA Record
2025 Revised Total Coliform Rule RPT 7 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 8000
2024 TTHM MR 16 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2950
2024 Total Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) MR 16 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2456
2024 Lead and Copper Rule MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 5000
2022 Consumer Confidence Rule Other 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 7000
2021 Revised Total Coliform Rule Other 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 8000
2015 Interim Enhanced Surface Water Treatment Rule TT 4 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 0300
1994 Endrin MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2005
1994 Endothall MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2033
1994 Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2035
1994 Diquat MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2032
1994 2,4-D MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2105
1994 Chlordane MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2959
1994 Carbofuran MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2046
1994 Benzo(a)pyrene MR 3 SDWIS / IN5245012 / 2306

How EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS Compares

Cross-reference this system's record against state averages and the federal MCL framework for context.

Metric EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS Indiana avg Federal benchmark
Total violations 148 88.9 SDWA compliance — any non-zero count is a recorded breach
Health-based violations 4 9.1 Indicates a contaminant exceeded a federal MCL
PFAS detection None 40.6% EPA final rule (2024): PFOA/PFOS MCL = 4.0 ppt
Population served 26,370 1,456 Sizing context for compliance burden

Sources: EPA SDWIS and EPA National Primary Drinking Water Regulations (40 CFR Part 141). State averages computed across 3,967 regulated public water systems in Indiana.

Federal MCL reference — Safe Drinking Water Act thresholds ▼
Contaminant Federal MCL / Action Level Note
Lead 0 mg/L (Action Level: 0.015 mg/L) Lead and Copper Rule treatment technique
Arsenic 0.010 mg/L (10 ppb) Health-based MCL since 2006
Total Coliform Treatment technique (RTCR) Indicator organism, monitoring trigger
PFOA / PFOS (PFAS) 4.0 ppt each (final 2024 rule) Compliance deadline 2029
Nitrate (as N) 10 mg/L Acute health risk for infants

Frequently Asked Questions

Is EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS water safe to drink? ▼
EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS (PWS ID: IN5245012) has 148 recorded violations in the EPA SDWIS database. No PFAS contamination was detected in UCMR5 testing. This system serves 26,370 people using Surface Water sources.
How many people does EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS serve? ▼
EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS serves 26,370 people in EAST CHICAGO, Indiana. It is a Local-owned system using Surface Water water sources with 7,000 service connections.
What type of violations does EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS have? ▼
EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS has 148 total violations: 4 health-based violations (MCL exceedances or treatment failures), 130 monitoring/reporting violations, and 4 treatment technique violations. Health-based violations indicate contaminant levels exceeded EPA safe limits.
Has PFAS been detected in EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS water? ▼
No. EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS was tested for PFAS under the EPA's UCMR5 monitoring program and no PFAS contamination was detected.
What water source does EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS use? ▼
EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS uses Surface Water 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.

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Data Sources: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS), Q4 2025. PFAS data from EPA UCMR5 monitoring program (2023-2025). This data is provided for informational purposes only.

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

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Data sourced from $official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainWater Editorial