Water Quality Report · Updated May 12, 2026
IL AMERICAN-EAST ST LOUIS
IL AMERICAN-EAST ST LOUIS delivers tap water graded D (55/100) by TapWaterSafety.org. The utility serves approximately 131,368 residents in EAST ST LOUIS, Illinois using surface water. The most significant water quality concerns are: PFAS contamination; Haloacetic acids (HAA9) significantly above health guideline; Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline; Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline; Arsenic detected. For questions, the utility can be reached at 618-874-2408.
Is EAST ST LOUIS tap water safe to drink?
IL AMERICAN-EAST ST LOUIS delivers tap water that earns a grade of D (55/100) from TapWaterSafety.org — a below-average rating, with multiple concerns including pfas contamination.
The utility serves 131,368 residents in EAST ST LOUIS, drawing from surface water. Despite being legal under US EPA standards, this water would fail the European Union's Drinking Water Directive, primarily due to pfas contamination.
Public testing data identifies 17 contaminants in this water above EWG's health-based guidelines, including: Haloacetic acids (HAA9), Haloacetic acids (HAA5), Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Arsenic, Bromodichloromethane, Trichloroacetic acid, Dichloroacetic acid, Chloroform, Nitrate, Nitrate and nitrite, Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), Radium, combined (-226 and -228), Dibromoacetic acid, Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Dibromochloromethane, Chromium (hexavalent), Atrazine. 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 EAST ST LOUIS residents
Top concerns in this water
Based on the most recent EPA and EWG data, these are the most significant water quality issues for IL AMERICAN-EAST ST LOUIS.
PFAS contamination
Severe concernPerfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) 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 20.6 ppb, 343x above the EWG health guideline of 0.06 ppb.
Haloacetic acids (HAA5) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernHaloacetic acids (HAA5) detected at 19.3 ppb, 193x above the EWG health guideline of 0.1 ppb.
Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) significantly above health guideline
Moderate concernTotal trihalomethanes (TTHMs) detected at 27.7 ppb, 185x above the EWG health guideline of 0.15 ppb.
Arsenic detected
Moderate concernArsenic detected at 0.4 ppb.
Contact IL AMERICAN-EAST ST LOUIS
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 EAST ST LOUIS
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.
Reverse Osmosis
$249-$750Arsenic is most effectively removed by reverse osmosis. Some specialized adsorptive filters also work.
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 55/100 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 |
20.6 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 343× over |
| Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Disinfection byproduct |
19.3 ppb | 0.1 | 60.0 | 60 | — | — | — | 193× over |
| Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Disinfection byproduct |
27.7 ppb | 0.15 | 80.0 | 100 | — | — | — | 185× over |
| Arsenic Heavy metal |
0.4 ppb | 0.004 | 10.0 | 10 | 10 | 0.004 | — | 100× over |
| Bromodichloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
4.72 ppb | 0.06 | — | — | — | — | — | 79× over |
| Trichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
7.15 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 71× over |
| Dichloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
11.7 ppb | 0.2 | — | — | — | — | — | 59× over |
| Chloroform Disinfection byproduct |
22.6 ppb | 0.4 | — | — | — | — | — | 57× over |
| Nitrate Inorganic |
2.96 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 21× over |
| Nitrate and nitrite Inorganic |
2.96 ppm | 0.14 | 10.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | 10 | — | 21× over |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) PFAS |
1.34 ppt | 0.09 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 0.007 | — | 15× over |
| Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Radiological |
0.59 pCi/L | 0.05 | 5.0 | — | — | — | — | 12× over |
| Dibromoacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.18 ppb | 0.03 | — | — | — | — | — | 6.0× over |
| Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) PFAS |
1.57 ppt | 0.3 | 4.0 | 100 | 100 | 1 | — | 5.2× over |
| Dibromochloromethane Disinfection byproduct |
0.358 ppb | 0.1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3.6× over |
| Chromium (hexavalent) Heavy metal |
0.0483 ppb | 0.02 | — | — | — | — | — | 2.4× over |
| Atrazine Pesticide/Herbicide |
0.17 ppb | 0.1 | 3.0 | 0.1 | 100 | 0.15 | — | Fails EU |
| 1,4-Dioxane Semi-volatile organic compound |
0.248 ppb | 0.35 | — | — | 50 | 1 | — | Below guideline |
| Chlorate Disinfection byproduct |
19.8 ppb | 210.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Vanadium Other |
1.79 ppb | 21.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Manganese Heavy metal |
5.97 ppb | 100.0 | — | 50 | 80 | — | — | Below guideline |
| Molybdenum Other |
1.96 ppb | 40.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutanoic Acid (PFBA) PFAS |
13.6 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Monochloroacetic acid Disinfection byproduct |
0.293 ppb | 53.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) PFAS |
1.85 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid (PFPeA) PFAS |
1.05 ppt | 1000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Perfluorobutane sulfonate (PFBS) PFAS |
1.18 ppt | 2000.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Strontium Radiological |
0.129 ppb | 1500.0 | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| 2-Methoxyethanol Other |
0.075 ppb | — | — | — | — | — | — | Below guideline |
| Fluoride Inorganic |
0.758 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.
IL AMERICAN-EAST ST LOUIS service area
This water system serves 1 community in St. Clair County, Illinois. Click any city for its dedicated tap water quality page.
Find the right filter for EAST ST LOUIS water
Browse filter categories by water-quality concern. Each option below is NSF-certified for the matched contaminant type.