273
Total Contaminants Above Guidelines
1,005,638
People Affected
We analyzed tap water quality data for hundreds of cities across the United States to identify those with the highest levels of strontium. This ranking is based on 2026 data from the EPA and EWG databases.
Strontium is a contaminant of growing concern in drinking water. The cities below have the highest detected levels based on the most recent testing data available.
Methodology: Cities are ranked by the detected level of strontium (descending), showing those with the highest concentrations first. Data sourced from the EPA Safe Drinking Water
Information System (SDWIS) and the Environmental Working Group (EWG) Tap Water Database.
Only cities with available EWG testing data are included.
Rankings at a Glance
1. Somonauk, IL 2. Creve Coeur, IL 3. Palmer, IL 4. Cowden, IL 5. Mt. Auburn, IL 6. Fox Lake, IL 7. Millerton, NY 8. Lacon, IL 9. Albany, IL 10. Carle Place, NY 11. Baldwin City, KS 12. Lawrence, KS 13. Sandy, UT 14. Wood River, IL 15. Kansas City, MO 16. Waldron, MO 17. Peculiar, MO 18. Weatherby Lake, MO 19. Ferrelview, MO 20. Dearborn, MO 21. Northmoor, MO 22. Birmingham, MO 23. Camden Point, MO 24. Madison, WI 25. Kaukauna, WI
1
Somonauk, Illinois
Somonauk • 1,786 people served
5 Above EWG Guidelines
12 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Chloroform Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Radium, combined (-226 and -228) Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Somonauk has strontium detected at 162 ppb. 12 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
2
Creve Coeur, Illinois
Creve Coeur • 0 people served
12 Above EWG Guidelines
17 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Bromoform Dibromoacetic acid Dibromochloromethane Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Nitrate
Creve Coeur has strontium detected at 157 ppb. 17 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
3
Palmer, Illinois
Palmer • 229 people served
6 Above EWG Guidelines
10 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Dibromochloromethane Nitrate Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Bromoform
Palmer has strontium detected at 143 ppb. 10 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
4
Cowden, Illinois
Cowden • 612 people served
7 Above EWG Guidelines
12 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Bromoform Dibromochloromethane Nitrate Nitrate and nitrite Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Cowden has strontium detected at 140 ppb. 12 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
5
Mt. Auburn, Illinois
Mount Auburn • 480 people served
13 Above EWG Guidelines
17 Total Detected
1 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Bromoform Chloroform Dibromoacetic acid Dibromochloromethane Dichloroacetic acid
Mt. Auburn has strontium detected at 119 ppb. 17 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
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6
Fox Lake, Illinois
Hilldale Manor Subdivision • 414 people served
10 Above EWG Guidelines
13 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Bromoform Chloroform Dibromoacetic acid Dibromochloromethane Dichloroacetic acid
Fox Lake has strontium detected at 111 ppb. 13 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
7
Millerton, New York
Millerton Village • 2,000 people served
4 Above EWG Guidelines
11 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Nitrate Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) Radon
Millerton has strontium detected at 111 ppb. 11 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
8
Lacon, Illinois
Lacon • 1,878 people served
6 Above EWG Guidelines
11 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Nitrate Nitrate and nitrite Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Lacon has strontium detected at 110 ppb. 11 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
9
Albany, Illinois
Albany • 950 people served
10 Above EWG Guidelines
17 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Bromoform Chloroform Dibromoacetic acid Dibromochloromethane Dichloroacetic acid
Albany has strontium detected at 98.10 ppb. 17 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
10
Carle Place, New York
Carle Place Water District • 9,005 people served
16 Above EWG Guidelines
44 Total Detected
2 Above Legal Limit
6:2 Fluorotelomer sulfonate (6 2FTS) Arsenic Chromium (hexavalent) Nitrate Nitrate and nitrite Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
Carle Place has strontium detected at 42.90 ppb. 44 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
11
Baldwin City, Kansas
Baldwin City, City of • 4,700 people served
16 Above EWG Guidelines
32 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Arsenic* Bromodichloromethane Bromoform Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid
Baldwin City has strontium detected at 38.20 ppb. 32 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
12
Lawrence, Kansas
City of Lawrence • 95,256 people served
9 Above EWG Guidelines
23 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Arsenic Chromium (hexavalent) Haloacetic acids (HAA5) Haloacetic acids (HAA9) Perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHXS) Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs)
Lawrence has strontium detected at 38.20 ppb. 23 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
13
Sandy, Utah
Sandy City Water System • 99,750 people served
14 Above EWG Guidelines
23 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromochloroacetic acid Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent) Dibromoacetic acid Dibromochloromethane
Sandy has strontium detected at 26.60 ppb. 23 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
14
Wood River, Illinois
Wood River • 10,464 people served
15 Above EWG Guidelines
27 Total Detected
1 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent) Dibromoacetic acid Dibromochloromethane Dichloroacetic acid
Wood River has strontium detected at 24.50 ppb. 27 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
15
Kansas City • 513,800 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent) Dibromoacetic acid Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Kansas City has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
See full Kansas City water report →
16
Waldron, Missouri
Platte County Cons Public Water Supply District 1 • 6,900 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid* Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Waldron has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
17
Peculiar, Missouri
Peculiar PWS • 5,000 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
23 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid* Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Peculiar has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 23 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
18
Weatherby Lake, Missouri
Weatherby Lake PWS • 2,077 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid* Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Weatherby Lake has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
19
Ferrelview, Missouri
Ferrelview PWS • 850 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid* Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Ferrelview has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
20
Dearborn, Missouri
Dearborn PWS • 529 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid* Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Dearborn has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
21
Northmoor, Missouri
Northmoor PWS • 328 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid* Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Northmoor has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
22
Birmingham, Missouri
Birmingham Village of • 200 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid* Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Birmingham has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
23
Camden Point, Missouri
Platte County Public Water Supply District 2 • 0 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent)* Dibromoacetic acid* Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Camden Point has strontium detected at 23.80 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
24
Madison, Wisconsin
Madison Water Utility • 235,000 people served
20 Above EWG Guidelines
54 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Chromium (hexavalent) Dibromoacetic acid Dibromochloromethane Dichloroacetic acid
Madison has strontium detected at 22.10 ppb. 54 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
25
Kaukauna, Wisconsin
Kaukauna Utilities • 13,430 people served
11 Above EWG Guidelines
22 Total Detected
0 Above Legal Limit
Bromodichloromethane Chloroform Dibromoacetic acid Dibromochloromethane Dichloroacetic acid Haloacetic acids (HAA5)
Kaukauna has strontium detected at 22.10 ppb. 22 total contaminants were found in the water supply.
What We Found: Key Patterns
The most frequently detected contaminants exceeding health guidelines across these cities are Total trihalomethanes (TTHMs), Chloroform, Haloacetic acids (HAA5). These appear repeatedly across different water systems and regions.
Geographically, the states most represented in this ranking are Illinois (9), Missouri (9), New York (2). Regional water sources, industrial activity, and agricultural runoff all contribute to local water quality variation.
Across all ranked cities, 273 contaminant readings exceed EWG health guidelines, but only 4 exceed EPA legal limits. This gap of 269 highlights how legal standards may not fully protect public health — EPA limits haven't been updated for many contaminants in decades.
Full Rankings Table
Rank
City
State
Detected
Above Guidelines
Above Legal
People Served
1
Somonauk
IL
12
5
0
1,786
2
Creve Coeur
IL
17
12
0
0
3
Palmer
IL
10
6
0
229
4
Cowden
IL
12
7
0
612
5
Mt. Auburn
IL
17
13
1
480
6
Fox Lake
IL
13
10
0
414
7
Millerton
NY
11
4
0
2,000
8
Lacon
IL
11
6
0
1,878
9
Albany
IL
17
10
0
950
10
Carle Place
NY
44
16
2
9,005
11
Baldwin City
KS
32
16
0
4,700
12
Lawrence
KS
23
9
0
95,256
13
Sandy
UT
23
14
0
99,750
14
Wood River
IL
27
15
1
10,464
15
Kansas City MO
22
11
0
513,800
16
Waldron
MO
22
11
0
6,900
17
Peculiar
MO
23
11
0
5,000
18
Weatherby Lake
MO
22
11
0
2,077
19
Ferrelview
MO
22
11
0
850
20
Dearborn
MO
22
11
0
529
21
Northmoor
MO
22
11
0
328
22
Birmingham
MO
22
11
0
200
23
Camden Point
MO
22
11
0
0
24
Madison
WI
54
20
0
235,000
25
Kaukauna
WI
22
11
0
13,430
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Frequently Asked Questions
What cities have the highest levels of strontium?
Our analysis of 2026 data identified the cities with the highest detected levels of strontium. See the full ranking above.
Is strontium dangerous in drinking water?
Strontium has known health risks at elevated levels. The EWG sets health guidelines that are often stricter than EPA legal limits to account for the latest research on long-term exposure.
How do I remove strontium from my water?
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems are the most effective at removing a wide range of contaminants. Check the specific contaminant details for recommended filtration technology.
What is the EPA legal limit for strontium?
EPA legal limits vary by contaminant and may differ from EWG health guidelines. See individual city reports for specific legal limit comparisons.
Data sources: Environmental Working Group (EWG) Tap Water Database, U.S. EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
Last updated: September 2026
Methodology: Contaminant levels are compared against both EPA legal limits (Maximum Contaminant Levels) and EWG health guidelines, which are often stricter and based on the latest scientific research.
