Photo: David Wilson · CC BY 2.0Living in Orion, IL: what to set up and who to call
The Orion water system reported one health-based violation to EPA in the last five years: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), beginning Oct 2024. The closest ER is Genesis Medical Center-Illini, 10.1 miles away.
I’m new in town
What to set up in Orion, and who provides it. Tap an answer for the details and where they come from.
Power, water and internet
Who to call to start service at a new address in Orion.
Power comes from MidAmerican Energy
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility, serves all of Orion. Its homes paid an average of 10.0¢ per kWh in 2025, about $74 a month (its average across Illinois).
Start or move service: midamericanenergy.com · (888) 427-5632
Service territory: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map dated Aug 2023). Prices and customers: EIA-861, 2025.
Water comes from Orion water system
The Orion water system supplies almost all of Orion. It draws ground water and serves 1,754 people in all.
1 health-based violation reported to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions), beginning Oct 2024. 78% of the 7,966 systems serving 1,001–3,300 people had none.
The latest lead result on file, the 90th percentile of homes sampled in Jan–Dec 2025, was 5.5 ppb, below the 15 ppb action level that applied. That’s higher than 93% of similar systems’ latest results.
The system’s full record: EPA ECHO report
EPA SDWIS via Envirofacts (violations pulled Oct 9, 2026) and ECHO (lead samples, 2026Q3); service area: EPA Community Water System Service Area Boundaries v3.0 (EPA’s estimate). Violations are counted by the start of their compliance period. IL0730700.
6 home internet providers serve Orion
100% of 784 addresses can get 100/20 Mbps; 100% can get fiber.
| Provider | Technology | Addresses | Fastest (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mediacom Xtream | Cable, Fiber | 100% | 2,000/1,000 |
| Cambridge Telcom Services | Fiber | 100% | 1,000/1,000 |
| Nextlink | Fixed wireless | 88% | 400/100 |
| T-Mobile | Fixed wireless | 31% | 100/20 |
| AT&T | Fixed wireless | 25% | 100/20 |
| Verizon | Fixed wireless | 3% | 300/20 |
FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025. Availability as providers report it, not speeds people get.
We don’t have Orion’s trash rules yet
Pickup rules, the dump and recycling in Orion.
Where your child goes to school
Public school districts and the school path by grade.
Orion is in Orion Community Unit School District 223.
A−School gradeSee Schools →U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25. Enrollment rules and registration are the district’s.
Town hall and registering to vote
Who to call, and how to register.
Election office: FVAP local election office directory, updated Sep 2021; jurisdictions: EAC EAVS 2024. Registration rules and links: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025.
Orion is in ZIP code 61273
ZIP codes where Orion residents live, with the share of the town in each.
| ZIP | Post office name | Share of Orion | ZIP’s residents in Orion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61273 | Orion, IL | 100% | 54% |
Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas, by census block; post office names: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). ZIPs created since 2020 are missing.
Getting around, the ER and the library
One line each; the subject pages have the rest.
ER: CMS hospital data. Library: IMLS Public Libraries Survey, FY2024.
Questions about living in Orion
Who supplies Orion’s drinking water, and has it had violations?
The Orion water system (EPA ID IL0730700). It reported 1 health-based violation to EPA in the five years to October 2026: a lead and copper treatment requirement (Lead and Copper Rule Revisions). 78% of systems its size had none. Its latest lead 90th percentile was 5.5 ppb (Jan–Dec 2025), against a 15 ppb action level.
Who provides electricity in Orion?
MidAmerican Energy (MidAmerican Energy Co), an investor-owned utility. Its homes paid about 10.0¢ per kWh in 2025 (EIA).
What internet providers serve Orion?
Mediacom Xtream, Cambridge Telcom Services, Nextlink, T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon (FCC, as of December 2025).
What ZIP codes are in Orion?
61273. Census 2020 ZIP Code Tabulation Areas.
What school district is Orion in?
Orion Community Unit School District 223.
How do I register to vote in Orion?
In Illinois you can register online until 16 days before Election Day, in person up to and including Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 28 days before). Elections here are run by the Henry County Clerk. Check your registration at ova.elections.il.gov.
Sources & dates
Every answer above names its source. Here they are with their dates.
- Water: EPA SDWIS (Envirofacts, pulled Oct 9, 2026), ECHO SDWA 2026Q3, EPA CWS Service Area Boundaries v3.0.
- Power: HIFLD Electric Retail Service Territories (map Aug 2023); EIA-861 final 2025.
- Trash: OpenStreetMap, Geofabrik extract of Oct 9, 2026. © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).
- ZIP codes: Census 2020 ZCTA relationship files; GeoNames postal codes (CC BY 4.0).
- Schools: NCES Common Core of Data, 2024–25.
- Registration: vote.gov, updated Sep 12, 2025 (read Oct 10, 2026). Official sites and area codes: Wikidata.
- Election office: FVAP local election office directory (fetched Oct 10, 2026; each record dated), EAC EAVS 2024 jurisdictions; registration and lookup links from vote.gov’s state data, checked Oct 10, 2026.
- Internet: FCC National Broadband Map, as of December 2025.