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Water in Lake Zurich, IL

Lake Zurich Water Needs Improvement

Map of Illinois indicating where Lake Zurich water is delivered

Keep Toxins Out of Your Drinking Water

Is Lake Zurich’s water safe enough to drink? As with many cities across Chicagoland, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Environmental Working Group (EWG) have revealed the presence of contaminants in Lake Zurich’s water. While the saturation of contaminants is low enough to be legal, the EPA’s guidelines haven’t been updated in 20 years. Legal isn’t the same as safe.

Instead of settling for water that doesn’t even taste good, keep reading to learn:

  • Where Lake Zurich’s water comes from
  • Which pollutants are present in the water
  • Steps you can take to stay safe
  • How Angel Water can clean your water
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Where Does Lake Zurich’s Water Come From?

According to the Lake Zurich Water Department, Lake Zurich receives water from several deep aquifers. Treatment plants inject chlorine into the water before it reaches faucets across town. Plants also use ion-exchange systems to remove naturally occurring radium, which also decreases the water’s hardness.

What’s Lake Zurich’s General Water Hardness?

Over the years, local water hardness has plummeted from an unusual 14 grains per gallon to a more moderate 6 grains per gallon. In comparison to other nearby cities, this level of hardness isn’t particularly good or bad. At 6 grains per gallon, Lake Zurich’s water hardness can still have many adverse effects, including cloudy stains on dishes, faded clothing and dry or brittle hair.

What’s Lake Zurich’s General Water Quality?

By EPA standards, Lake Zurich’s water is safe for consumption, but these standards don’t actually reflect safety. As the EWG asserts, there should be no contaminants in the water. With far more stringent standards, the EWG highlights the presence of all contaminants either below legal limits or otherwise.

The following chart shows contaminants that exceeded safe levels in Lake Zurich from 2014 to 2019:

CONTAMINANT TOTAL
EWG RECOMMENDED
Haloacetic Acids (HAA9) 4.57 ppb 0.06 ppb
Radium 226 and 228 3.18 pCi/L 0.05 pCi/L
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) 6.28 ppb 0.15 ppb

Let us show you what problems these contaminants can cause.

Haloacetic Acids (HAA9)

Haloacetic Acids are byproducts of the chlorination process. They dry out your skin at best and give you cancer at worst. Local governments are right about one thing: Cleansing water prior to consumption is better than letting it flow straight from the ground to your mouth. While this cleaning process is important, there are other steps you can take to improve the quality of drinking water in your home.

The following haloacetic acids exceeded EWG guidelines in Lake Zurich:

  • Dichloroacetic Acid
  • Trichloroacetic Acid

Dibromoacetic acid and monochloroacetic acid were also present, but they were beneath their respective thresholds.

Radium 226 and 228

This radioactive element naturally presents itself underground. It can leak into groundwater, and activities like fracking can elevate its presence among water supplies. Drinking radium over time can cause bone cancer, among other forms of cancer.

Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)

TTHMs are also byproducts of water treatment. Of all TTHMs, bromodichloromethane is most common in Lake Zurich, more than 1 ppb above the recommended limit. Like haloacetic acids, TTHMs are also carcinogenic.

The following TTHMs also exceeded safe levels in Lake Zurich:

  • Chloroform
  • Dibromochloromethane

While the EWG has also detected bromoform in the water, its levels do not exceed standards.

Other Contaminants

Beside pollutants above the EWG’s limits, there are many others present in Lake Zurich’s water, including:

  • Fluoride
  • Germanium
  • Manganese
  • Nitrite
  • Silver
  • Strontium

Though these contaminants don’t exceed recommended limits, the EWG asserts that their presence is inherently problematic. Please feel free to learn more on the EWG’s page for Lake Zurich.

How Can Lake Zurich’s Residents Protect Their Health?

Not all homes require the same solutions to their water problems. Many devices that optimize water quality perform opposite functions. Some inject chlorine, while others remove it. Your situation will inform your adjustment.

The best way to evaluate your water quality is with a professional test, and we’re great proctors. Upon discerning the problem, we can help you make your next move. Here’s a breakdown of everything we’ll have to do:

Step 1: Water Testing

Nothing uncovers the quality of your water as well as a water test. Not only does a water test reveal the presence of all contaminants, but it also evaluates your water’s hardness, covering all the major bases. If you complete a test with us, we can help you install the device that resonates best with your needs.

Step 2: Install an NSF/ANSI 58 Certified Reverse Osmosis System

Reverse osmosis (RO) systems address most contaminants. We can’t explicitly recommend anything prior to testing, but if your water is rife with contaminants, an RO system will likely be what you need.

These highly versatile RO systems can remove:

  • Molybdenum
  • Strontium
  • Total Trihalomethanes
  • Haloacetic Acids
  • Germanium
  • Chromium

RO systems work by pushing water through a semipermeable membrane. The part of the membrane that isn’t permeable keeps pollutants from entering your home’s water supply. RO systems remove all invasive matter, including beneficial minerals. Systems compensate for this by reinjecting calcium and magnesium into the water after filtering. If an RO system is NSF/ANSI 58 certified, it has endured multiple tests meant to weed out stragglers.

Explore Our Reverse Osmosis Systems

Step 3: Install an NSF/ANSI 44 Certified Water Softener

If your water has few contaminants and the main problem is hardness, a salt-based water softener will be most effective. Especially with well water, hardness can be a singular adversary. Salt-based water softeners use ion exchange to remove sediment from the water. Large bags of salt are necessary to keep the device working, but the only alternative is to use a salt-free system that doesn’t truly soften the water. Rather, salt-free systems condition water to keep sediment from accumulating inside pipes.

Explore Our Water Softeners

Step 4: Have Your Equipment Professionally Installed and Serviced

Shoddy installations can hinder utility and longevity. Our plumbers are licensed to install and maintain different water systems. Whatever device you need, most manufacturers require occasional maintenance for you to keep your warranty. Please let us help you install and maintain your system so that you can keep it for years to come.

Learn About Our Maintenance Services

Drink Better Water in Lake Zurich Today!

Ultimately, legal water isn’t clean water. One glass of contaminated water isn’t going to kill you, but you’re going to be drinking a lot of it. Carcinogenic pollutants may eventually make you and your family sick. We can help you test your water and find a product that makes your water healthier: You’ll taste the difference.

For more than 50 years, we’ve been educating families across Chicagoland about the benefits of home water systems. We’re happily available for testing, installation and maintenance. Our licensed plumbers can help you find the perfect device, whether it’s an RO system or water softener.

Tell Us How We Can Help

Please call today at (847) 382-7800 or complete the form below to schedule a free consultation!

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Would You Like to Know More About Water Quality in Lake Zurich?

If you want to understand the quality of the water your family depends on everyday, contact us today. One of our representatives is standing by to help you schedule your free water test. We’ll send one of our local water expert to test the water at your tap and explain common problems and solutions for your specific water composition so that you can rest easy, knowing that your family is drinking the healthiest water possible.

We love to help! Just ask your neighbors:
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