Drilling into federal monitoring figures for Fairbanks in AK, the pattern is middle-of-the-road - some utilities have documented MCL exceedances or treatment technique violations in recent years, while others have operated without a single flag, making the city's grade a genuine average rather than a rounded-down high.

Data: EPA SDWIS

Overview

We track home safety data for 10 ZIP codes in Fairbanks, Alaska (population ~60,117), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 106,234 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 3 of 10 ZIP codes.

The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 3 ZIP codes with a reported violation count.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Fairbanks: C (67/100)

Model 4.0.0 uses four measured components across three equally weighted domains. If a required domain is unavailable, no score is published:

Factor	What It Measures
Water Quality	EPA violations and compliance history
PFAS MCL Screen	UCMR 5 testing against the covered federal MCLs
Radon Risk	EPA radon zone classification
Annual AQI	EPA AirData county-year median with at least 90 observed days

Water Sources

Fairbanks water systems draw from: Groundwater.

Lead & Copper

• Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0019 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
• 0 of 3 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level

Radon Risk

Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)

• Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
• Zone 2 (Moderate): 10 ZIP codes
• Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Areas with No Violations

All ZIP Codes in Fairbanks

• 99701 [C]
• 99706
• 99707
• 99708
• 99709 [C]
• 99710
• 99711
• 99712 [C]
• 99775
• 99790

Data Sources

• Water quality: EPA Safe Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS)
• Lead/copper: EPA Lead and Copper Rule sampling data
• Radon: EPA Map of Radon Zones

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Housing Age Profile

Heavily weighted toward older construction, Fairbanks's housing stock carries a median build year of 1985. That profile puts a majority of homes in the era when lead-soldered copper plumbing was standard practice.

1985

Median Year Built

55%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

5%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (5%) 1970–1986 (50%) Post-1986 (45%)

Over half of homes in Fairbanks were built before 1986, when lead solder was banned. Older plumbing may leach lead into drinking water, especially with corrosive water chemistry.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.

Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Fairbanks Homeowners

Equity impact data for Fairbanks lands in the favorable tier - remediation claims a small slice of what properties here are worth.

Median Home Value

$296,000

Est. Remediation

$1,800

Remediation as % of home value 0.6%

Remediation costs in Fairbanks are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,150–$2,690 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 50% above the Alaska average.

Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Fairbanks

55%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.0019

mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

Why children are most at risk: The CDC states there is no safe level of lead exposure for children. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.

When older housing represents 55% of the local inventory or aggregate readings approach the federal action level, an in-home check becomes the standard way to translate citywide averages into the specific reality of an individual Fairbanks address.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.

Historical NFIP Claim Context in Fairbanks

130

Total FEMA Flood Claims

$18,177

Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data

83%

A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Fairbanks contains 130 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $18,177. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 83% have an A- or V-family dominant rated zone recorded in those historical claims. This is not a complete current FEMA property-map inventory.

How flooding affects water quality: Flood events can introduce sewage, agricultural runoff, and industrial chemicals into water supplies. Even after floodwaters recede, contamination can persist in wells and aging infrastructure. The <strong>$1,800</strong> remediation estimate shown here excludes flood insurance and is not derived from NFIP claim count.

Claim count does not establish current property risk. Check the exact address in FEMA's current map and obtain a property-specific insurance quote when relevant.

Source: historical FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claim records. No current FEMA property-map designation is asserted.