Ceres, CA: 6 Health Violations — 71/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Ceres, CA: reliable drinking water, above-average safety record, few violations.
How Ceres Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Ceres Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 7 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0032 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 55% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.27 — above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Ceres
Water service in Ceres, CA is split across 3 utilities out of 4 tracked federally, each operating its own infrastructure and compliance record.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Ceres, California, covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 46,209 people.
1 of 1 ZIP code (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 6 health-based violations documented.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Ceres: B (71/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Ceres water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0032 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barium | Inorganic | 10 | 1 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95307 | B | 7 | 6 | City of Ceres, |
All ZIP Codes in Ceres
- 95307 [B] — 7 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
Updated daily.
CDC Health Data for Ceres
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 Ceres
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Ceres's Housing Stock?
With 55% 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
Two dates define the high-risk tiers of residential plumbing from a lead standpoint: 1970, before which lead pipes were commonly installed for service connections, and 1986, before which lead solder was standard in copper plumbing. A median build year of 1987 places Ceres's housing distribution well within that older risk zone. The bar chart above breaks down how much of the stock falls into each era — and the pre-1986 share alone represents more than half the residential inventory, making plumbing-era risk a defining characteristic of the local water safety picture.
Over half of homes in Ceres 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.
Ceres: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Property equity in Ceres runs well ahead of estimated remediation costs — a cost-to-value ratio that sits in the low tier, meaning documented water and safety issues here are the kind homeowners can plan to address without treating the expense as a significant budget event relative to what their homes are worth.
Remediation costs in Ceres are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,900–$5,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 46% below the California average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Ceres
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.
Wherever 55% of local housing was built before solder rules changed — as is the case in Ceres — a faucet-level sample closes the gap that aggregate utility data cannot.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Ceres
Taken together, Ceres's 1 NFIP flood insurance claim and 100% FEMA flood zone coverage place it in the moderate range of exposure. That middle position has specific implications for water quality. The contamination pathways that flooding can open — surface water overwhelming treatment facility intake, floodwaters infiltrating private wells, distribution pressure changes creating backflow — are not constant risks in a moderate-exposure community. But they do become active during significant flood events, and the claim record here indicates enough of those events to make flood timing an occasional factor in local water quality conversations.
Ceres has a moderate flood history with 1 FEMA claims. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$3,400</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Ceres, CA