Water Quality Reports
Get the 2023 Water Quality Report
Dear Resident:
Once again, Chicago’s tap water has met or exceeded all standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for safe, clean drinking water. This annual report details information on results above detection limits for annual certified testing of Chicago’s drinking water.
The City of Chicago Department of Water Management (DWM) purifies and delivers almost one billion gallons of clean drinking water to residents of Chicago and 120 suburbs every day.
DWM works tirelessly to keep our water clean and safe by:
- Performing over 600,000 analyses per year of tap water at every step in the treatment process and adjusting treatment protocols as necessary
- Using corrosion control in our water to minimize the risk of contaminants- including lead- leaching from plumbing
- Replacing miles of water and sewer mains to increase reliability and efficiency
- Offering free water pitchers and six cartridges that are NSF-certified to remove lead and providing complete instructions for flushing water through plumbing to residents and businesses where there is water infrastructure work being done in the vicinity
- Offering free residential water testing by an independent certified laboratory.
For the first time, the City now has two programs designed to assist residents who would like to replace their lead service lines. The Equity Program provides a free replacement to residents who meet income requirements, and the Homeowner-Initiated Program waives up to $5,000 in permit fees for those who wish to replace their lines. Moving forward, we are working to secure as much federal funding as possible to expand the City’s lead line replacement efforts. More information is available at: www.LeadSafeChicago.org.
My administration will remain vigilant in protecting Chicago’s most precious natural resource, Lake Michigan, from polluters and invasive species. It is my priority to maintain a reliable and efficient water system that provides safe, clean drinking water at a reasonable rate for generations of Chicagoans to come.