Elevated Lead Found In Drinking Water In Some Lockport Homes, Residents Told To Check Their Pipes

LOCKPORT, IL — Water samples collected between July and December 2025 showed elevated levels of lead in drinking water in some homes and buildings, according to a Lead Action Level Exceedance Notice shared by the City of Lockport.

Sixty samples were collected and analyzed for lead, and more than 10 percent of the samples exceeded the action level, according to the notice.

The EPA requires water systems to test for lead at the tap in certain homes, including those with lead service lines, the notice states.

City Administrator Ben Benson told Patch that the city is required to test 60 households biannually.

"If 10 percent of the samples from these homes have water concentrations that are greater than the action level, then the system must perform actions such as public education, adjusting treatment, and lead service line replacement," according to the notice.

All nine homes that tested with elevated lead levels all had lead service lines.

The city said it feels that the lead service lines are the source of the elevated levels in the samples.

"This does not mean that every property that receives drinking water from Lockport has lead in the drinking water," the notice states.

The city provided some steps residents can take to reduce lead exposure in their water, including:

• Use your filter properly
• Clean your aerators
• Use cold water
• Run your water
• Learn what your service line material is
• Learn about construction in your neighborhood
• Have your water tested

The city said that follow-up testing was done at each location. Four retested below the threshold. For the remaining five, the city has already replaced three service lines, and two more are scheduled for replacement this year.

There are 71 remaining homes that have service lines made from lead, the city said.

"The cty is going to replace all lead lines in the City of Lockport this year, so we will be done," Benson said. "[We will have] 100 percent compliance by the end of 2026.

In 2022, Illinois mandated that all lead service lines must be completely replaced. Deadlines for this vary, with the City of Chicago replacement not estimated to be finished until 2076.