Copper in Illinois well water
In Illinois, <1% of 5,523 tested private well samples exceeded the EPA limit for copper (1.3 mg/L).
Copper leaches from pipes when water is acidic. Above 1.3 mg/L it causes stomach upset, and long-term exposure can harm the liver and kidneys. Blue-green stains on fixtures are the giveaway.
Check your copper number
Type the value from your lab report. It is compared to the EPA limit, the same way the full interpretation does it.
Test your Illinois well for copper
Certified lab analysis of your own tap water, bottles and prepaid return shipping included. The Essential well panel covers arsenic, uranium, nitrate, lead, copper, manganese, iron, sodium and bacteria; radon and PFAS are add-ons.
Order the Tap Score well water test kit, from $209Already tested? Upload the report
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Systems that remove copper
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Some links below are affiliate links. If you buy through one, the merchant pays us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which products we list or what the data says.
For copper
Under-sink reverse osmosis system
under-sink or countertop, about $300
Look for NSF/ANSI 58 certification listing the contaminant you need removed.
For copper
Acid neutralizing filter
whole-house, at the point of entry, about $1,200
Raises pH so plumbing stops leaching lead and copper.
Rather have it installed and sized for your well? Book a free in-home water test with a licensed local company.
Where to get a well tested for copper in Illinois: certified labs, state programs and prices.
By county, from individual samples
Public monitoring samples against the EPA limit (1.3 mg/L); counties with at least 30 samples.
| County | Above EPA limit | Samples | Detected | Median | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLean | 82 | 23% | 0 | 2.68 mg/L | |
| Peoria | 89 | 40% | 0 | 13 mg/L | |
| Tazewell | 108 | 39% | 0 | 1.69 mg/L | |
| Fulton | 216 | 52% | 0 | 1.9 mg/L | |
| Cook | 558 | 52% | 0 | 1.66 mg/L | |
| McDonough | 67 | 81% | 0.02 | 0.54 mg/L | |
| Vermilion | 54 | 72% | 0.012 | 0.02 mg/L | |
| Randolph | 51 | 59% | 0 | 0.06 mg/L | |
| Adams | 41 | 54% | 0 | 1.09 mg/L | |
| St. Clair | 79 | 52% | 0 | 0.42 mg/L | |
| DuPage | 369 | 41% | 0 | 0.2 mg/L | |
| McHenry | 278 | 39% | 0 | 0.067 mg/L | |
| Madison | 176 | 39% | 0 | 0.23 mg/L | |
| Henry | 84 | 38% | 0 | 0.17 mg/L | |
| Kankakee | 87 | 36% | 0 | 0.127 mg/L |
- Chicago, Cook County2% of 59
- Putman township, Fulton County<1% of 131
- Danville township, Vermilion County0% of 32
- Bethel township, McDonough County0% of 44
- Tilden precinct, Randolph County0% of 33
- Elk Grove township, Cook County0% of 74
- Wheeling township, Cook County0% of 89
- Bloom township, Cook County0% of 51
- Buckheart township, Fulton County0% of 63
- Addison township, DuPage County0% of 46
- Joliet township, Will County0% of 47
- Aurora township, Kane County0% of 84
- Lockport township, Will County0% of 31
- Nunda township, McHenry County0% of 48
- Palatine township, Cook County0% of 42
- York township, DuPage County0% of 88
- Lisle township, DuPage County0% of 37
- Schaumburg township, Cook County0% of 51
- Warren township, Lake County0% of 32
- Hanover township, Cook County0% of 41
Sources
- Individual samples from the USGS Water Quality Portal and state monitoring, summarized per geography. copper counts and shares are listed on each county and town page with their sources.