Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
AURORA
AURORA delivers tap water graded F (53/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 183,000 residents in AURORA, Illinois using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Bromodichloromethane significantly above health guideline. For questions, the utility can be reached at 630-256-3254.
Is AURORA tap water safe to drink?
AURORA delivers tap water that earns a grade of F (53/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a poor rating, with significant contamination concerns and/or recent violations.
The utility serves 183,000 residents in AURORA, drawing from surface water.
Public testing data identifies 17 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Bromodichloromethane, Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS), Chromium (hexavalent), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Dibromochloromethane, Dibromoacetic acid, Chloroform, Trichloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Nitrate and nitrite, Nitrate, Bromoform, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). For most residents, a properly certified home filter at the kitchen tap is the most cost-effective way to reduce exposure to whatever's in your water. See our filter recommendations below, matched specifically to this utility's contaminant profile.
Quick actions for AURORA residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for AURORA.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) detected. PFAS are persistent chemicals linked to cancer and immune effects with no known safe exposure threshold.
Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA9) detected at 21.0 ppb, 350x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 40.4 ppb, 269x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Bromodichloromethane significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernBromodichloromethane detected at 9.82 ppb, 164x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Contact AURORA
Reach the utility directly for service issues, water quality concerns, or to request your Consumer Confidence Report.
General Contact
Treatment Plant
Recommended water filters for AURORA
Filters matched to the specific contaminants in this water supply.
Reverse Osmosis or NSF P473 certified carbon
$80-$750Activated carbon and RO are the only technologies proven to remove PFAS at certified levels.
Carbon block (NSF/ANSI 42 + 53)
$40-$750Activated carbon is highly effective for disinfection byproducts like TTHM and HAA5.
Disclosure: TapWaterSafety earns a commission from purchases made through these links. This does not influence our scoring methodology or filter selection.
Score breakdown
This utility's overall score of 53/100 breaks down across five weighted components. Read the full methodology →
Contaminants detected — international standards comparison
Every contaminant detected, compared side-by-side against US EPA legal limits, the EU Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184), WHO Guidelines, and California's Public Health Goal (the strictest US benchmark). Why we show multiple standards →
| Contaminant | Detected | EWG US health-based |
EPA US legal |
EU DWD Europe |
WHO global |
CA PHG strictest US |
Tested sample year |
Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Disinfection byproduct |
21.0 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 350× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
40.4 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 269× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
9.82 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 164× over |
| Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) PFAS |
0.147 ppt | 0.001 | 10.0 | — | — | — | — | 147× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
2.55 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 128× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
11.1 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 111× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
9.0 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 90× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
2.35 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 78× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
18.7 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 47× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
3.04 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 30× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
5.6 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 28× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
1.02 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 20× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
0.929 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 10× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
1.1 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 7.9× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
1.07 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 7.6× over |
| Bromoform Disinfection byproduct |
2.87 ppb | 0.5 | — | — | — | — | — | 5.7× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
0.382 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 1.3× over |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
164.1 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.118 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
1.99 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
0.8 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Barium Heavy metal |
11.1 ppb | 700.0 | 2000.0 | — | 1300 | 2000 | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
4.37 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
2.95 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
2.5 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.118 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
2.45 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.333 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHPA) PFAS |
0.124 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Chromium (total) Heavy metal |
2.4 ppb | — | 100.0 | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Cyanide Inorganic |
2.43 ppb | — | 200.0 | 50 | 70 | 150 | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.65 ppm | — | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Lithium Other |
5.6 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
All values in the unit of the detected level. Red cells indicate the detected level exceeds that standard. Some contaminants have limits in some jurisdictions but not others (shown as —). The "Tested" column shows the year each contaminant sample was collected.
Sources: US EPA, EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184, WHO Guidelines (4th ed.), California OEHHA PHGs, EWG Tap Water Database.
AURORA service area
This water system serves 1 community in Kane County, Illinois. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for AURORA water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.