Bell Gardens, CA: 1 Violation - Home Safety 58/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Bell Gardens: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Across water systems in Bell Gardens, safety results are uneven - a portion carry active or recent violations, while others meet federal standards without incident, placing the city in the middle tier for CA.
How Bell Gardens Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Bell Gardens Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 82% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.71.
Who Supplies Your Water in Bell Gardens
Throughout Bell Gardens, CA, water comes from one of 3 primary utilities out of 5 total systems - independent providers with different rate structures, infrastructure, and compliance records that vary across the service territory.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Bell Gardens, California, covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 93,783 people. 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 Bell Gardens: 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
Bell Gardens water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0000 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90201 | C | 1 | 0 | Gswc - Bell, Bell Gardens |
All ZIP Codes in Bell Gardens
- 90201 [C] - 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.
Health Outcomes in Bell Gardens
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 Bell Gardens Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Bell Gardens
With 82% 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
The median home in Bell Gardens was built in 1968 - a figure that places most of the city's residential stock in the era when lead solder was still standard in copper plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered joints; those built before 1970 face the additional possibility of lead pipes in the service line itself.
Over half of homes in Bell Gardens 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 Bell Gardens Homeowners
While no remediation project is entirely without cost, the relationship between estimated remediation and property values in Bell Gardens is notably favorable - the equity share is small enough that the household financial perspective is one of proportionality rather than pressure, and most homeowners can treat it as routine planning rather than a significant financial event.
Remediation costs in Bell Gardens are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,200–$3,400 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 26% below the California average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Bell Gardens
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.
82% - that captures the slice of Bell Gardens housing dating from before the federal ban on solder containing lead. It pairs with aggregate utility readings that either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L, the benchmark set under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule. Together, the two figures shift one-home reads into a standard household-level confirmation, particularly for families with kids. A certified lead-removal filter is available through retailer-verified channels if a kit returns results that warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Bell Gardens
Historical NFIP data for Bell Gardens contains 2 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $3,660. 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>$2,200</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.
What You Can Do in Bell Gardens
- 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 Consumer Confidence Report Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Bell Gardens's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 82% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Bell Gardens, CA