Drinking water tracked for Auburn by CA authorities posts above-average scores - the majority of systems are free from health-based exceedances and the city's grade sits above the state median.

Data: EPA SDWIS

Overview

We track home safety data for 3 ZIP codes in Auburn, California (population ~47,467), covering 7 community water systems serving approximately 138,052 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 3 ZIP codes.

1 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (50%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Auburn: B (75/100)

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

Auburn water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.

Lead & Copper

• Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0018 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

Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)

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

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

Top Contaminants

Areas with Most Violations

Areas with No Violations

All ZIP Codes in Auburn

• 95602 [B] - 1 violation
• 95603 [B]
• 95604

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

When a city's housing median build year is 1974, as in Auburn, the implication for water quality research is straightforward: municipal-level data captures what leaves the treatment plant, but household plumbing from before 1986 determines what actually arrives at the tap. In cities where older housing predominates, that gap between system-level and household-level data is widest.

1974

Median Year Built

75%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

16%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (16%) 1970–1986 (59%) Post-1986 (25%)

Over half of homes in Auburn 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.

Auburn: Remediation Cost in Perspective

Across Auburn, the equity share taken up by estimated remediation is small - a favorable ratio for most property owners.

Median Home Value

$646,900

Est. Remediation

$1,200

Remediation as % of home value 0.2%

Remediation costs in Auburn are relatively low compared to home values. The $533–$2,000 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 12% below the California average.

Protecting Children from Lead in Auburn

75%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.0018

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.

Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 75% pre-rule share in Auburn keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.

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

Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Auburn

58

Total FEMA Flood Claims

$18,779

Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data

0%

A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Auburn contains 58 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $18,779. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% 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>$1,200</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.