Decatur, AL: 16 Violations - Home Safety 61/100
5 ZIP codes · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Decatur: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Decatur earns a C grade for AL; check the EPA record for the system that serves your address.
How Decatur Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Decatur Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 16 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0028 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $500 per household.
- Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 14.84.
Who Supplies Your Water in Decatur
When a city is linked to 5 water systems, as Decatur, AL is in federal records, water in one neighborhood may come from a different system than in another. The 3 systems with the largest reported populations are shown below, and their compliance records are kept separately, so a violation logged for one does not describe the others.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 5 ZIP codes in Decatur, Alabama (population ~67,883), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 158,034 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 5 ZIP codes.
2 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Decatur: C (61/100)
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
Decatur water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0028 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 2 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
5 of 5 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 1.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenic | Inorganic | 3 | 2 |
| Barium | Inorganic | 3 | 2 |
| Cadmium | Inorganic | 3 | 2 |
| Chromium | Inorganic | 3 | 2 |
| Cyanide | Inorganic | 3 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35601 | C | 16 | 0 | Decatur, Municipal Ub of |
| 35603 | C | 16 | 0 | Decatur, Municipal Ub of |
All ZIP Codes in Decatur
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.
Health Outcomes in Decatur
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Decatur Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Decatur Homeowners
Here the gap between local home values and the estimated repair bill is wide, so the percentage shown below for Decatur stays at or under the 1% mark.
Estimated remediation costs in Decatur can be compared with local home values. The $300–$800 estimated range can be set against the median property value; actual costs vary by home. Home values are 43% above the Alabama average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Decatur
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Available area-level lead records for Decatur do not determine the lead level at an individual tap. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Decatur
Historical NFIP data for Decatur contains 114 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $17,974. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 75% 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 $500 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.
What You Can Do in Decatur
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Check the certification, price and turnaround time of any water test kit or lab service.
- Install a certified water filter. For Arsenic, listed in the water-quality records for Decatur: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
- Check your home's plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead solder in pipes. A licensed plumber can assess your risk.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Decatur, AL