Is tap water safe in Crystal Lake?

EPA SDWIS shows no active health-based violation in this profile's reporting window. That is not the same as proving every contaminant is absent, and federal data can lag state and utility records.

How hard is the water in Crystal Lake, IL?

Nearby USGS observations produce an estimate of 363 ppm (21.2 grains per gallon), classified as very hard. This is not a tap measurement.

Do I need a water softener in ZIP code 60012?

At 363 ppm, a correctly sized whole-house softener can reduce scale buildup and hard-water spotting. Treatment for hardness does not remove all health-related contaminants.

City water profile

Crystal Lake water quality

Compare local ZIP estimates, evidence quality, associated public systems, and compliance history for Crystal Lake, Illinois.

Median indexed hardness

362PPM

2 indexed ZIPs

Range 360–363 PPM

State comparison: 77 PPM above
State hardness rank: #41 of 913
Matched utilities: 1
Active health records: 0

City summary

What the indexed records say

Crystal Lake has 2 published ZIP profiles across Mchenry County. The indexed median is 362 PPM, compared with 285 PPM across Illinois.

Among the 913 Illinoiscities with an indexed median, Crystal Lake ranks #41from highest to lowest. Across all 1,065 state ZIP profiles, available estimates run from 115to 408 PPM.

The 360–363 PPM range shows how much the available ZIP estimates vary within the city label.

Hardness distribution

How local ZIP estimates compare

Soft0 ZIPs

Moderately hard0 ZIPs

Hard0 ZIPs

Very hard2 ZIPs

2 of 2 ZIP profiles have a hardness estimate. Bars count ZIP profiles, not households or laboratory samples.

Evidence quality

Distance, dates, and confidence

Median nearest distance: 2.1 miles
Profiles with evidence: 2/2

Confidence labels

High: 0Moderate: 2Low: 0

Observation window: May 30, 2017 to Aug 5, 2024.

ZIP directory

Water reports in Crystal Lake

Open a ZIP for site-level provenance and measurements.

ZIP code

60012

Very Hard

363 PPM

Nearest site: 2.1 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

ZIP code

60014

Very Hard

360 PPM

Nearest site: 1 mi
Confidence: Moderate

View full ZIP evidence →

Public water systems

Utilities associated with this city

Crystal Lake

PWSID IL1110150

Groundwater

System population served: 40,661
Last reported: May 27, 2026

The system names this served city; Census place overlap links the city to this ZCTA.

Compliance history

What EPA records show

No active health-based violation appears among the associated systems in the represented EPA reporting quarter. This does not mean every contaminant was tested at every tap.

Record	System	Period	Status
Hexachlorocyclopentadiene	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
Atrazine	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
Di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
Endrin	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
LASSO	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
Heptachlor epoxide	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
HEXACHLOROBENZENE	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
Simazine	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived
BHC-GAMMA	IL1110150	Jan 1, 2026	Archived

Practical next steps

Move from index to evidence

1. Open your ZIP. Check distance, dates, confidence, and the associated utility.
2. Read the current CCR. Confirm source water, detections, limits, ranges, and notices.
3. Test the tap when needed. Confirm health concerns or treatment sizing with the right method.

Continue comparing

Other Illinois communities

Algonquin

Mchenry County

360 PPM median

Cary

Mchenry County

360 PPM median

Fox River Grove

Mchenry County

360 PPM median

Harvard

Mchenry County

401 PPM median

Hebron

Mchenry County

408 PPM median

Huntley

Mchenry County

360 PPM median

Search all 913 Illinois cities →

Questions people ask

About water in Crystal Lake

Is the water hard?

The indexed city median is 362 PPM. Open the ZIP report to verify the distance and confidence behind that estimate.

Is the tap water safe?

Compliance history is utility-wide and cannot guarantee conditions at every tap. Check current notices and test when address-specific evidence is needed.

Do I need treatment?

Choose treatment only after confirming the problem at the property. A softener targets hardness; contaminant treatment requires a matching, verified performance claim.