Bisbee, AZ: 3 Health Violations - Home Safety 58/100
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Bisbee: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Safe water is the norm across most of Bisbee, AZ - but documented violations push the city to the middle safety tier.
How Bisbee Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Bisbee Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 10 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0014 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 87% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,500 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.63 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Bisbee
Bisbee, AZ is covered by 3 major water utilities out of 4 federally tracked systems, each managing its own pipes, treatment processes, and EPA filings. What a household gets from the tap depends on which provider's system serves that address.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Bisbee, Arizona (population ~6,798), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 11,681 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. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Bisbee: C (58/100)
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
Bisbee water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0014 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 4 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 85603 | C | 10 | 3 | Arizona Water Company - Bisbee |
All ZIP Codes in Bisbee
- 85603 [C] - 10 violations ⚠
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 Bisbee
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
Top Contaminants in Bisbee Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Bisbee
With 87% 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
Because the majority of Bisbee's housing predates 1986, when lead solder was banned from new plumbing, the median build year of 1946 reflects a city where lead-era plumbing materials are common rather than exceptional.
Over half of homes in Bisbee 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 Bisbee Homeowners
Property equity in Bisbee sits at a moderate ratio to estimated remediation costs - a classification that reframes the household financial perspective from routine maintenance to deliberate budgeting, where most homeowners have a realistic path to addressing documented water and safety issues if they map the financial commitment against available resources before committing to scope.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Bisbee. The estimated $1,350–$4,000 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 33% below the Arizona average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Bisbee
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.
Routinely in Bisbee, where 87% of housing predates the solder ban and aggregate utility readings hover near the federal threshold, a faucet-level draw functions as a standard household step for families with small kids.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Bisbee
Historical NFIP data for Bisbee contains 22 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $12,330. 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>$2,500</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.
What You Can Do in Bisbee
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Stage 1 DBP Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Bisbee's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 87% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Bisbee, AZ