Shelby, AL: 1 Violation - Home Safety 83/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Shelby: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Residents of Shelby generally live with tap water that beats the AL safety average on key EPA compliance metrics.
How Shelby Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Shelby Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.01 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 41% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.18 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Shelby
Shelby, AL draws its water from one primary utility across 1 tracked system.
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Shelby, Alabama (population ~2,966), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 12,903 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code 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 Shelby: B (83/100)
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
Shelby water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0100 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35143 | B | 1 | 0 | Columbiana, the Ww Board of the Town of |
All ZIP Codes in Shelby
- 35143 [B] - 1 violation
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.
CDC Health Data for Shelby
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Key Contaminants Detected in Shelby
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Shelby's Housing Stock?
With 41% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. The EPA banned lead solder in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Prohibited from residential plumbing since 1986, lead solder divides Shelby's housing stock along a timeline that the median build year of 1981 straddles. A meaningful share of homes predates the ban - a configuration that places moderate aggregate pressure on plumbing-related lead risk, distributed unevenly across neighborhoods.
Most homes in Shelby were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Shelby: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Placing remediation in the context of Shelby's property market, the equity share is low - most homeowners here are weighing a financial commitment that fits comfortably within routine property planning, far from the threshold where remediation becomes a material equity decision rather than a standard upkeep consideration.
Remediation costs in Shelby are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 29% above the Alabama average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Shelby
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.
41% of Shelby housing dates to the pre-rule era, alongside aggregate readings hovering at the federal action mark - household-level confirmation through a draw-test kit fits the local picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Shelby
Historical NFIP data for Shelby contains 3 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $5,805. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% 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>$1,600</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Shelby, AL