Water Quality Technical Report — UNION, IL
- PWSID
- IL1110900
- Population
- 594
- Source
- Groundwater
- Data Period
- —
- Last Updated
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Summary
UNION serves approximately 594 people in UNION, Illinois. Based on contaminant analyses from DNR, WQP, EPA ECHO, 0 contaminants have been measured above federal EPA standards (MCL) and 1 exceeds health-based guidelines. The most significant finding is Lead (90th Percentile) at 0.0018 mg/L, which is 9x the health guideline. Data is drawn from source-level compliance monitoring and covers 1996 through 2026. Results reflect conditions at the point of collection (wells, treatment plants), not necessarily at the tap.
Key Findings
- Lead (90th percentile): Below the legal limit but above health-based guidelines (2025 reading). From your water system's testing.
- PFAS Status Unknown: No public PFAS testing data found for this system. This does not prove PFAS is absent.
- Arsenic (nearby groundwater): Below the legal limit but above health-based guidelines (2021 reading). From regional groundwater monitoring, not your tap.
Understanding the two thresholds
EPA Legal Limit (MCL)
The highest level of a contaminant allowed by federal law. Utilities that exceed this threshold face enforcement action. Limits balance health risk against the cost of treatment, so they are not always set at levels considered safe by independent researchers.
Health Guideline
The level below which independent researchers (CalEPA, WHO, EWG) believe there is no known health risk. Guidelines are not legally enforceable but are typically stricter than legal limits — often by 10x or more for contaminants like arsenic and lead.
A reading can be below the EPA limit (legally compliant) while still exceeding health guidelines (above levels considered safe by independent researchers).
Exceeds Health Guidelines
These contaminants were detected below the EPA legal limit but above a health-based guideline from a public health agency (CalEPA OEHHA, WHO, or similar). Health guidelines are non-enforceable research-backed targets that are often stricter than the legal limit.
| Contaminant | Result | Unit | Health Guideline | EPA Legal Limit | Source | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (90th Percentile) Developmental delays in children, kidney damage, high blood pressure. There is no safe level of lead exposure. | 1.8 | ug/L | 0.2 | 15 Pending rule: LCRI 2024 — Action level drops from 15 → 10 µg/L effective 2027; full lead service line replacement within 10 years (EPA Lead & Copper Rule Improvements, October 2024) | EPA ECHO |
PFAS
No PFAS testing data is available for this system in the government data sources we access (EPA UCMR5, Illinois EPA). This does not mean PFAS is absent — it means this system has not been tested for PFAS in our data sources, or results have not yet been published.
Microplastics
Microplastics have been documented in raw and treated drinking water worldwide, but federal regulations do not currently require testing — so there is no data specific to this system. Standardized methods and rules are in progress.
Other Regulated Contaminants
These contaminants were detected within federal standards (EPA Maximum Contaminant Levels). They are presented for transparency.
| Contaminant | Result | Unit | Health Guideline | EPA Legal Limit | Source | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combined Radium (226+228) Increased risk of cancer | 2.74 | pCi/L | 0 | 5 | DNR | |
| Gross Alpha Increased risk of cancer | 3.21 | pCi/L | 0 | 15 | DNR | |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Single sample — not a compliance determination (Stage 2 DBPR requires a Locational Running Annual Average across 4 quarters; N=1 available). Liver, kidney, or central nervous system problems; increased risk of cancer | 21.1 | ug/L | 0.15 | 80 | DNR | |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Single sample — not a compliance determination (Stage 2 DBPR requires a Locational Running Annual Average across 4 quarters; N=1 available). Increased risk of cancer | 10.19 | ug/L | 0.1 | 60 | DNR | |
| Nitrate (as N) Blue baby syndrome in infants | 5.51 | mg/L | 10 | 10(as N) | WQP | (5+ years ago) |
| Fluoride (natural) Bone disease, mottled teeth in children | 110 | ug/L | 4000 | 4000 | WQP | (5+ years ago) |
| Barium Increase in blood pressure | 134 | ug/L | 1000 | 2000 | WQP | (5+ years ago) |
| Arsenic Skin damage, circulatory problems, increased risk of cancer | 560 | ng/L | 4 | 10000 | WQP | (5+ years ago) |
| Chromium (total) Note: total chromium includes the harmless trivalent form (Cr-III). The toxic hexavalent form (Cr-VI) has no federal MCL; California set a 10 µg/L Cr-VI MCL in 2014. Allergic dermatitis | 1.1 | ug/L | 100 | 100 | WQP | (5+ years ago) |
Unregulated Detected Contaminants
These contaminants were detected but do not have a federal Maximum Contaminant Level. They are monitored for awareness, not compliance.
Other Substances
| Contaminant | Result | Unit | Health Guideline | EPA Legal Limit | Source | Sample Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper (90th Percentile) Gastrointestinal distress at high levels. Long-term exposure can cause liver or kidney damage. Per-source breakdown (37 sampling locations)
| 43 | ug/L | 300 | 1300 | DNR | |
| Orthophosphate | 840 | ug/L | — | — | DNR |
Other Potential Contaminants
Not detecting a contaminant does not prove it isn't present — it only means the laboratory didn't test for it, or tested below the reporting limit. Many substances of emerging concern are not routinely monitored because federal regulations haven't caught up to the science.
- Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) — USGS Emerging Contaminants program · Kolpin et al. (USGS FS-2006-3013)
- Unregulated PFAS compounds — EPA PFAS rule (2024) · EPA UCMR monitoring
- 1,4-Dioxane — EPA technical fact sheet
- Hexavalent chromium (Cr-VI) — EPA chromium in drinking water · California OEHHA PHG
- Unregulated disinfection byproducts — EPA Stage 1 / Stage 2 DBPR
- Endocrine disruptors — EPA Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program
Compliance History
Formal EPA and DNR compliance events on record for this utility. Includes all events from the last 10 years plus any unresolved violations regardless of age. Health-based violations are legally enforceable thresholds that were exceeded; procedural events are monitoring or reporting lapses that don't indicate contamination by themselves.
Jul 2, 2025 – ongoing
Jul 1, 2025 – ongoing
Jan 21, 2010 – ongoing
Mar 23, 2007 – ongoing
Aug 20, 2006 – ongoing
Jul 1, 2005 – ongoing
Jul 1, 2004 – ongoing
Source: EPA ECHO enforcement and violation records (via Envirofacts / SDWIS Federal Reports).
Routine Maintenance
Nothing in this system's current readings crosses a legal limit or a health guideline. Water systems still change over time, so the following is a baseline of habits worth keeping.
- Check the utility's annual Consumer Confidence Report. Utilities publish CCRs every July covering the prior calendar year. They include sampling data the utility collected itself, which complements the independent data on this page. EPA CCR search.
- Notice changes in taste, odor, or color. Chlorine smells, metallic tastes, and rust discoloration are worth flagging to the utility even when readings are in range — they can signal distribution-system events that sampling catches on a delay.
- Consider an independent tap test. A state-certified laboratory can test your tap water for a specific contaminant or a broader panel. Especially valuable for smaller systems with limited monitoring data. Illinois certified labs (EPA directory).
- Point-of-use filtration is optional. When readings are within guidelines, any additional filtration is a personal preference — choose based on taste, hardness, or a specific contaminant you want extra assurance on.
Frequently Asked Questions
What contaminants are in UNION water?
Based on available public monitoring data, 7 contaminants have been tested in UNION's water supply. 7 were detected above reporting limits. The most notable detections include Combined Radium (226+228), Gross Alpha, Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs). This data comes from source-level compliance monitoring at wells and treatment plants.
Does UNION water meet EPA standards?
Based on available public monitoring data, no contaminants were measured above federal EPA standards in recent compliance monitoring. However, 1 contaminant exceeds independent health guidelines, which are often stricter than legal limits. This assessment is based on source-level monitoring data (wells and treatment plants), not tap-level measurements.
Is UNION, IL water safe to drink?
Based on source-level compliance monitoring, all tested contaminants were within federal standards. However, compliance monitoring tests water at wells and treatment plants, not at individual taps. An on-site test is the only way to know what reaches your tap, as conditions can vary based on plumbing, blending, and distribution.
Does UNION water have lead?
No. UNION's most recent Lead and Copper Rule testing found a 90th-percentile lead level of 0.0018 mg/L, which is below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L. That means at the systemwide level, lead is not exceeding the enforcement threshold. Lead levels can still vary significantly by individual building — older homes and schools with legacy plumbing can have much higher readings than the system average.
Cross-check against the official record
This report is our read of the public monitoring data. Every Illinoisutility also publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report (CCR) — a plain-language summary written by the utility itself, usually mailed with a water bill or posted on the utility's website. If anything in this report surprises you, request UNION's latest CCR directly from the utility, or browse the underlying compliance data published by Illinois EPA.
Data Sources and Methodology
- Illinois EPA Compliance Monitoring
State-level drinking water compliance testing. Covers all regulated contaminants for community water systems. Source-level monitoring at wells and treatment plants. Individual result links are provided for each contaminant in the tables above.
- Water Quality Portal
Cooperative service by USGS, EPA, and NWQMC. Regional groundwater monitoring data from nearby wells — may not reflect this specific utility.
- EPA ECHO Lead & Copper Rule
90th percentile measurements from EPA Enforcement and Compliance History Online. Based on tap-level sampling at high-risk sites.
Definitions
- Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
- The highest level of a contaminant allowed in drinking water, set by the EPA. MCLs are legally enforceable standards.
- Maximum Contaminant Level Goal (MCLG)
- The level of a contaminant below which there is no known or expected health risk. MCLGs are non-enforceable public health goals.
- Action Level
- The concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other requirements. Used for lead and copper.
- Health Advisory
- Non-enforceable guidelines set by the EPA providing information on contaminants that can cause health effects at certain exposure levels.
- Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
- A measure of all dissolved minerals, salts, and organic matter in water, expressed in mg/L (ppm). Not a health hazard but affects taste and indicates overall mineral content.
- PFAS
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. A group of manufactured chemicals that do not break down in the environment. The EPA set enforceable limits for several PFAS compounds in 2024.
- Non-Detect (ND)
- The contaminant was tested for but not found above the laboratory's reporting limit. This does not mean zero — it means below the detection threshold.
- VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
- Chemicals that evaporate easily and can contaminate groundwater. Sources include gasoline, industrial solvents, and dry cleaning fluids. Some are regulated by the EPA; many are monitored but not yet regulated.
Download Data
Cite This Report
WaterAdvantage. "Water Quality Technical Report: UNION, IL (IL1110900)." WaterAdvantage.org, 2026-11-01. https://www.wateradvantage.org/report/IL1110900/detail
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