Compton's water system shows 8 contaminants above independent health guidelines. Legal limits and health guidelines are two different lines. Both are shown below, with sources, along with what a water filtration system in Compton should actually address. Call (815) 420-4731.
All 8 of them, worst first, from Compton's own published tests. Tap any contaminant to see what it is, how it gets into the water, and what long-term exposure is linked to.
Long-term exposure: Long-term exposure through drinking water is linked to skin, bladder and lung cancers, and to cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk.
A naturally occurring metal that dissolves into deep well water out of the bedrock. No taste, no color, no smell. Boiling does not help; it concentrates it.
Handled by: Reverse osmosis
Long-term exposure: The second major byproduct family. Long-term exposure is associated with increased cancer risk, and some studies flag developmental effects.
HAA5 is the sum of five haloacetic acids, formed the same way the trihalomethanes are. Federally capped at 60 parts per billion. The independent health guideline is 0.1.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: The research behind EPA's own limit associates long-term elevated exposure with increased bladder cancer risk. Several studies also flag effects during pregnancy.
Nobody added this. TTHMs are the sum of four byproducts that form when the chlorine used to disinfect your water meets leaves, algae and other organic matter in the source. The disinfection is necessary. The byproducts are what it costs you.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: Associated with liver effects in animal studies and classified as a possible human carcinogen.
Another individual haloacetic acid. It rises and falls with the chlorine dose and the season, so a single test is a snapshot, not a ceiling.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: Classified by the international cancer agency as possibly carcinogenic to humans, with liver and kidney effects at sustained high exposure.
The most common of the four trihalomethanes, and usually the largest single share of the total. It forms in the pipes on the way to your house, which is why the level at your tap can be higher than the level leaving the plant.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: EPA classifies it as a probable human carcinogen; animal studies show liver effects.
A single member of the haloacetic acid family, reported on its own because it is usually the largest share of the group.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: EPA classifies it as a probable human carcinogen. Long-term exposure is associated with liver, kidney and intestinal effects.
Forms when chlorine meets naturally occurring bromide in the source water. Of the four trihalomethanes, this is one of the two the research treats most seriously.
Handled by: Carbon filter at the main line
Long-term exposure: Radium is radioactive. The body treats it like calcium, so it deposits in bone, and long-term exposure raises bone cancer risk.
Northern Illinois sits on a deep sandstone aquifer that is naturally radioactive. The radium comes up with the water. The federal limit of 5 picocuries per liter was set in 1976 and has not been revisited since.
Handled by: Water softener (EPA-recognized ion exchange), or reverse osmosis
Levels are the utility's own most recent published test results as compiled by the EWG Tap Water Database. "Times over" compares against EWG's independent health guideline, not the federal legal limit; this system meets federal limits.
Installed by a licensed Illinois plumber, tested at handoff, first year of care included. Pick one and change anything: the installed total follows you.
Sources: EWG Tap Water Database, Compton · Lead information for this utility · Illinois EPA Drinking Water Watch
The report is free, the call is 15 minutes, and nobody ever comes to your house to sell you. One licensed crew. A limited number of installs each month.