Enter your ZIP code to see real EPA data about contaminants, violations, and safety concerns, explained in plain English.
Safety Grade
We compute an overall water quality grade based on violations and health risks, not just legal compliance.
Health Context
Every contaminant comes with plain-English health effects, who's most at risk, and what to do.
Violation History
See every time your water exceeded legal limits or missed required testing, up to 10 years back.
Recommendations
Get specific, actionable suggestions: a filter type, a test kit, or nothing at all.
About this data: ClearWater uses the EPA's Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS). Data is for public water systems only; private wells are not included. Legal limits (MCLs) are minimum standards; some contaminants may still pose health risks below legal thresholds.
Querying EPA database…
Fetching from the Safe Drinking Water Information System
Water systems near
Select the utility that serves your address. Check your water bill if you're unsure.
CARY
CARY, IL · 17,826 people served · Groundwater
Data last updated: 2026-06-23
6 total violations on record. No currently active health-based violations.
Health-Based Violations
- Contaminant #5000: TT (Resolved)
Loading interactive report…
CARY: Frequently Asked Questions
Is CARY water safe to drink?
CARY currently has no active health-based violations and has met all EPA standards in recent years. While this indicates good water quality compliance, you may still want to consider filtering your water, especially if your home has older plumbing that may contain lead.
What violations has CARY had?
Recent health-based violations at CARY include: Contaminant #5000. See the full violation history on this page for dates, status, and details.
Does CARY water have lead?
Lead in drinking water typically comes from household plumbing, not from CARY's treatment plant. See the Lead & Copper section on this page for the most recent 90th-percentile lead test results. If your home was built before 1986, consider running cold water for 30 seconds before drinking and using an NSF/ANSI 53-certified filter.
Related water quality pages
PFAS / Forever Chemicals
EPA UCMR5 monitoring data (2023–2025). 5 PFAS compounds detected.
| Compound | Detected | EPA MCL | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| PFPeA | 0.012 µg/L | - | No federal MCL |
| PFBA | 0.0074 µg/L | - | No federal MCL |
| PFHxA | 0.0069 µg/L | - | No federal MCL |
| 6:2 FTS | 0.0057 µg/L | - | No federal MCL |
| PFHpA | 0.004 µg/L | - | No federal MCL |
Source: EPA Fifth Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule (UCMR5). MCLs finalized April 2024. Values shown are the maximum detected concentration across all sampling events.
Water Hardness
Estimated based on USGS geological survey data for your county.
Source: USGS National Water Information System. Hardness is not a health concern. It's a measure of dissolved calcium and magnesium. Contact your water utility for exact values.
Water pH Level
Estimated based on USGS water monitoring data for your county.
Source: USGS National Water Information System. EPA secondary standard for pH is 6.5–8.5. Contact your water utility for exact values.
Lead & Copper
What To Do
Violations
We couldn't find a public water system for ZIP code .
- Double-check the ZIP code
- Some rural areas are served by private wells, which are not in the EPA database
- Try a neighboring ZIP code
An error occurred while fetching data from the EPA.