Lake, IN
Transparent derived index from EPA TRI / SDWIS / Superfund extracts: not an official EPA rating. Fixed caps: facilities ≤25 pts (50+ = max), log10 releases ≤25 pts, Superfund ≤25 pts (5/site), health-violation systems ≤15 pts (3/system), high-chemical facilities ≤10 pts. Bands: High ≥60, Moderate ≥30. See methodology. This is a different measure than the EJ Screening score for this county, which ranks it by percentile against other tracked counties rather than against these fixed caps.
Environmental data for Lake in Indiana · Population: 498,990
TRI sites such as Uss Gary Works; Cleveland-Cliffs Steel LLC; Tradebe Treatment & Recycling LLC; SDWIS systems such as HAMMOND WATER WORKS DEPARTMENT; CROWN POINT WATER WORKS; SCHERERVILLE WATER DEPARTMENT; NPL sites such as American Chemical Service, Inc.; Federated Metals Corp Whiting; Gary Development Landfill anchor Lake, IN's EPA extract. Derived burden score 100/100 (High Risk) uses fixed national caps on density, log release volume, Superfund count, and health-flagged systems - not an official EPA rating.
Health-flagged SDWIS rows in Lake include HAMMOND WATER WORKS DEPARTMENT; NEW CHICAGO WATER WORKS; WHITING WATER DEPARTMENT, while Uss Gary Works leads reported TRI pounds among local Form R filers. AQS median AQI 52 / peak 166 in 2024.
Burden score 100/100 (High Risk) is the only weighted composite on this page. The tables below list every TRI facility, SDWIS system, and Superfund site EPA has on record for Lake -- not just the names called out above -- reproducing the disclosure history as filed, not a current-safety verdict. Extract current as of 2026-08-25.
Release-over-release change
What changed for Lake, IN: EPA TRI 2023 reporting year
Same facilities, both years
-14.8%
46 facilities that filed in 2022 and 2023
Whole inventory
-14.8%
26.5 million lb → 22.5 million lb, every facility that filed
Between the two reporting years, 0 facilities filed for the first time and 3 stopped filing. Facilities entering or leaving the inventory are excluded from the same-facility comparison above.
- Lake, IN's total reported releases fell from 26.4 million lb in 2022 to 22.5 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Lake, IN's off-site transfers fell from 12.0 million lb in 2022 to 6.5 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Lake, IN's air releases rose from 1.5 million lb in 2022 to 2.1 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
- Lake, IN's land releases rose from 11.3 million lb in 2022 to 12.4 million lb in 2023, based on EPA TRI filings.
Air Quality History (2020–2024)
EPA Air Quality Index (AQI) data showing how many days per year fall into each air quality category.
| Year | Good | Moderate | Unhealthy (SG) | Max AQI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 162 (44%) | 199 | 4 | 166 |
| 2023 | 125 (34%) | 222 | 16 | 215 |
| 2022 | 152 (42%) | 208 | 5 | 143 |
| 2021 | 134 (37%) | 225 | 5 | 175 |
| 2020 | 161 (44%) | 199 | 6 | 136 |
Source: EPA Air Quality System (AQS) Annual AQI by County AQI categories: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (101-150), Unhealthy (151-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300), Hazardous (301+)
For real-time air quality readings and pollutant breakdowns in Indiana, see the EPA's AirNow.gov.
Water Systems (29)
| System | System pop (SDWIS) | Violations |
|---|---|---|
| HAMMOND WATER WORKS DEPARTMENT | 78,384 | 2 |
| CROWN POINT WATER WORKS | 30,000 | 0 |
| SCHERERVILLE WATER DEPARTMENT | 30,000 | 0 |
| EAST CHICAGO WATER WORKS | 26,370 | 0 |
| ST. JOHN MUNICIPAL WATER UTILITY | 25,700 | 0 |
| HIGHLAND WATER WORKS | 23,984 | 0 |
| MUNSTER WATER COMPANY | 23,894 | 0 |
| GRIFFITH WATER DEPARTMENT | 16,893 | 0 |
| DYER WATER DEPARTMENT | 16,800 | 0 |
| CUII - TWIN LAKES | 8,000 | 0 |
| NEW CHICAGO WATER WORKS | 5,500 | 2 |
| WHITING WATER DEPARTMENT | 4,900 | 1 |
| CEDAR LAKE WATER WORKS | 4,600 | 1 |
| CEDAR LAKE - ROBINS NEST | 950 | 0 |
| CUII - WATER SERVICE CO. | 654 | 0 |
| FOREST OAKS MHC, LLC | 500 | 0 |
| SCHNEIDER WATER DEPARTMENT | 267 | 1 |
| LAKESHORE SUBDIVISION ASSOCIATION, INC. | 265 | 1 |
| FAIRWAY REGIONAL WATER DISTRICT | 210 | 3 |
| CEDAR LAKE MOBILE HOME PARK | 200 | 0 |
| CEDAR LAKE BIBLE CONFERENCE GROUNDS | 150 | 4 |
| INDIAN SPRINGS TOWN HOMES | 90 | 1 |
| NOBLE OAKS SUBDIVISION WATER ASSOCIATION | 70 | 0 |
| COUNTRY VIEW MANOR CONDOS | 62 | 0 |
| LAZY OAKS | 48 | 0 |
| ROCKWELL SHORES APARTMENTS | 45 | 0 |
| OAKWOOD MOBILE HOME PARK | 45 | 0 |
| SUNSET HARBOR CONDOMINIUMS | 40 | 0 |
| CEDAR GARDENS MHP | 34 | 2 |
TRI Facilities (50)
Superfund Sites (8)
| Site Name | Status | HRS Score |
|---|---|---|
| American Chemical Service, Inc. | NPL Site | 34.98 |
| Federated Metals Corp Whiting | NPL Site | 51.14 |
| Gary Development Landfill | NPL Site | 30.00 |
| Lake Sandy Jo (M&M Landfill) | NPL Site | 38.21 |
| MIDCO I | NPL Site | 46.44 |
| MIDCO II | NPL Site | 30.16 |
| Ninth Avenue Dump | NPL Site | 40.32 |
| U.S. Smelter and Lead Refinery, Inc. | NPL Site | 58.31 |
Cities in Lake (18)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the environmental risk level in Lake, Indiana? ▼
Are there Superfund sites in Lake? ▼
How many toxic release facilities are in Lake? ▼
What is the air quality in Lake? ▼
Is the drinking water safe in Lake? ▼
What environmental agencies cover Lake? ▼
What does this county environmental profile show?
This county environmental profile rolls up EPA Toxics Release Inventory facility reports, Safe Drinking Water Information System public-water-system filings, and Superfund National Priorities List sites for the county boundary defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Facility counts reflect facilities with a reporting address inside the county, not where downstream environmental effects may be observed. Population figures are from the most recent Census ACS 5-year estimate. The county detail page is updated whenever the upstream EPA programs publish revised data; see the methodology page for the documented ingest cadence and the editorial choices governing how aggregations are computed.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.