Is Rome, IL tap water safe?
The short answer
Neither of the 2 utilities serving Rome has a result above a legal limit or action level, or a health-based violation since 2016, in EPA’s and Illinois’s records.
Chillicothe, which serves the most people here, has 1 result above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 1.4 ppb, above the health goal. Health goals are stricter than legal limits and are not enforced.
The water from Chillicothe is very hard, typically 300 mg/L (17.5 grains per gallon). How Illinois’s water compares.
A town can be served by more than one utility, and some homes are on private wells. The name on your water bill tells you which is yours, and your ZIP code narrows it down. They are listed by how many people each serves in Rome’s ZIP codes, from EPA’s estimates.
- Open report
Chillicothe
Illinois · serves 6,660 people · about 220 in Rome
1 result above the health goal. The worst: Lead at 1.4 ppb, above the health goal. Hardness: very hard, typically 300 mg/L (17.5 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
- Open report
IL American - Peoria
Illinois · serves 137,575 people · about 180 in Rome
1 result above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029, 2 results above the health goal and 1 result above EPA’s health benchmark. The worst: PFOS at 6.5 ppt, above EPA’s new limit, which takes effect in 2029. Hardness: very hard, typically 267 mg/L (15.6 grains per gallon).
No health-based violations since 2016
What handles it
Each of these is certified, on a certifier’s listing, for a result above a line in Chillicothe’s water, which serves the most people here. Another utility’s report names what handles its own results.
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Brita Tahoe Pitcher with Elite Filter (OB60, OB06)
Pitcher
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 13, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 53checked Oct. 13, 2026
Certified for: Lead
Brita Everyday Pitcher with Elite Filter (OB46, OB06)
Pitcher
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 13, 2026
Certified for: Lead
PUR PLUS 11-Cup Pitcher (PPT111W)
Pitcher
- NSF listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- WQA listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
- IAPMO listing:NSF/ANSI 42NSF/ANSI 53NSF/ANSI 401checked Oct. 4, 2026
Certified for: Lead
Water testing near Rome
The 3 labs Illinois certifies closest to Rome, in a straight line. Call first: certification is test by test, and not every lab takes samples from homeowners.
Daily Laboratories
Peoria, IL · about 14 miles
Certified for bacteria
Pace Analytical Services, LLC - Peoria
Peoria, IL · about 14 miles
Certified for bacteria
Test, Inc.
Peru, IL · about 36 miles
Certified for bacteria
Illinois Department of Public Health: Coliform bacteria and nitrate testing for private wells, with sample bottles from your local health department, or from the department's nearest regional office where there is none. You mail the sample to the lab, and results come back through the health department. Well Sampling for Coliform & Nitrate, Illinois Department of Public Health.
All 30 certified labs for IllinoisWhich ZIP codes are in Rome: Census 2020 relationship files. Which utilities serve them, and how many people: EPA SDWIS and EPA’s service area map. Each utility’s results: EPA UCMR 5, EPA SDWIS, and EPA’s and the state’s compliance monitoring, as its report lists them. How they are measured: methodology. Certified labs: Illinois Department of Public Health, certified water microbiology laboratories; distances from the Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation area gazetteer.
What to do next
- Read Chillicothe’s full reportEvery result with its dates, the violations, and the certification claim that handles each finding.Open the report
- Filters for LeadRanked by certification and what they cost over five years.The best water filters for lead, ranked
- On a private well?No utility tests a well. A certified lab test is the first step.How to test well water