Public water system record
Ottawa
Serves Ottawa and Naplate, LaSalle County, IL · 18,097 people served
Federal records show 1 health-based violation and 53 monitoring/reporting issues for Ottawa in the last ten years. The most serious issue in this window was a resolved Combined Radium (-226 and -228) violation.
System profile
- Health-based violations, last 10 years
- 1
- Resolved
- 1
- Unresolved
- 0
- Any acute record
- No
- Monitoring issues, last 10 years
- 53
Key facts
- Ottawa draws water from 5 wells (1 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use).
- Highest measured level in the last 10 years: Combined Radium (-226 and -228), 8 pCi/L, federal limit 5 pCi/L (1.6 times the limit), 2023.
- Most recent formal enforcement: compliance order (no penalty) by Illinois, May 2024.
- Record on file since 1977, with 20 health-based violations before October 19, 2016.
- Lead pipe inventory: 48 lead and 1,051 unknown out of 8,082 service lines.
Check whether Ottawa serves your address
Health-based violations
Since October 2016Violation data reflects EPA records through March 2026. For the most current status, visit the EPA ECHO database.
| Contaminant | Rule family | Start date | Status | Acute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
Measured 8 pCi/L, federal limit 5 pCi/L (1.6 times the limit)
|
340 | Jul 1, 2023 | Resolved | No |
Monitoring and reporting issues
Since October 2016Missed tests or reports, not contaminants found above a limit.
| Issue | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2025 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2025 |
Archived
Violation period ended. EPA no longer counts it toward current compliance, but no fix was formally recorded.
|
|
LEAD AND COPPER RULE REVISIONS
RPT
|
Jul 2, 2025 | Active |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2023 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Oct 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jul 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2022 | Resolved |
|
Styrene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Ethylbenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Toluene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Benzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
CHLOROBENZENE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Tetrachloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Trichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,2-Dichloropropane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Carbon tetrachloride
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,2-Dichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,1-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
p-Dichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
o-Dichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
DICHLOROMETHANE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Xylenes, Total
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
o-Dichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,2-Dichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Benzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Styrene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Vinyl chloride
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Tetrachloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
CHLOROBENZENE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
DICHLOROMETHANE
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,1-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Trichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,1,2-Trichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
p-Dichlorobenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Carbon tetrachloride
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Ethylbenzene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
trans-1,2-Dichloroethylene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,2-Dichloropropane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Toluene
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Xylenes, Total
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
1,1,1-Trichloroethane
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Vinyl chloride
Monitoring and reporting
|
Jan 1, 2020 | Resolved |
|
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Nov 1, 2018 | Resolved |
|
Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Monitoring and reporting
|
Nov 1, 2018 | Resolved |
Full record since 1977
EPA's records for Ottawa go back to 1977. Before October 19, 2016 they list 20 health-based violations (17 resolved, 3 archived by EPA without a recorded fix) and 13 monitoring or reporting violations.
| Violations that began in | Health-based | Monitoring and reporting |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 1 |
| 1980s | 3 | 0 |
| 1990s | 5 | 8 |
| 2000s | 11 | 2 |
| 2010 to October 18, 2016 | 1 | 2 |
| October 19, 2016 to 2019 | 0 | 2 |
| 2020s | 1 | 51 |
Most recent health-based violation before October 19, 2016: Total Coliform, began October 2011, Resolved.
Show all 20 health-based violations before October 19, 2016
| Contaminant | Start date | Status |
|---|---|---|
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2011 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 2009 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jul 1, 2003 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Apr 1, 2003 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jan 1, 2003 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2002 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 2001 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Sep 1, 2001 | Archived |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jul 1, 2001 | Resolved |
|
Gross Alpha, Excl. Radon and U
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Dec 27, 2000 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Oct 1, 2000 | Resolved |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Jul 1, 2000 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 1997 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 1993 | Resolved |
|
Total Coliform
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 1993 | Archived |
|
Total Coliform (acute)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Jun 1, 1993 | Archived |
|
Lead and Copper Rule
Treatment technique failure
|
Dec 7, 1992 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Nov 1, 1989 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 1, 1989 | Resolved |
|
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
Contaminant limit exceeded
|
Oct 4, 1985 | Resolved |
Enforcement actions
Illinois regulators took 2 formal enforcement actions against Ottawa between 1990 and 2024. The most recent was a compliance order (no penalty) in May 2024.
| Date | By | Action | Violations covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 20, 2024 | Illinois | Compliance order (no penalty) | 3 violations (1 health-based): Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), Combined Radium (-226 and -228) |
| Nov 8, 1990 | Illinois | Compliance order (no penalty) | 2 violations (2 health-based): Combined Radium (-226 and -228) |
What the violations mean
Combined Radium (-226 and -228)
1 incidentTest results for Combined Radium (-226 and -228) were above the federal limit (a maximum contaminant level violation).
The utility had to notify customers about this violation.
Where the water comes from
Ottawa draws water from 5 wells (1 of them for emergency, seasonal or other part-time use). It also buys water from Retz Addn Improvement Association. It also has an emergency connection to Naplate. 2 other community water systems and 5 smaller public systems such as schools, businesses or campgrounds buy water from Ottawa. 1 other public water system has an emergency connection to Ottawa.
Buys water from
- Retz Addn Improvement Association Ottawa, IL
Emergency or part-time connections to
- Naplate Ottawa, IL
Community systems that buy water from it
- Fields Hill Improvement Association Ottawa, IL
- Retz Addn Improvement Association Ottawa, IL
Annual water quality report
Ottawa must give its customers an annual water quality report (Consumer Confidence Report) by July 1, with the levels its tests found in the previous year.
Systems serving 10,000 or more people must mail or deliver the report to every customer, and from 2027 they must send it twice a year.
Find a posted report with EPA's Consumer Confidence Report search
Testing your own water
To test the water at your tap, or a private well this record does not cover, use a laboratory certified for drinking water by Illinois.
Certified drinking water labs by state EPA guidance for private wells