Cerritos, CA: 2 Violations - Home Safety 56/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Cerritos: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Drilling into federal monitoring figures for Cerritos in CA, the pattern is middle-of-the-road - some utilities have documented MCL exceedances or treatment technique violations in recent years, while others have operated without a single flag, making the city's grade a genuine average rather than a rounded-down high.
How Cerritos Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Cerritos Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 2 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0041 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 89% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.71.
Water Systems Serving Cerritos
Multiple utilities divide Cerritos, CA's water service - 3 leading providers among 5 on the federal register.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Cerritos, California (population ~48,607), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 252,597 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 Cerritos: C (56/100)
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
Cerritos water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0041 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 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 90703 | C | 2 | 0 | Cerritos - City, Water Department |
All ZIP Codes in Cerritos
- 90703 [C] - 2 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.
CDC Health Data for Cerritos
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 Cerritos
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Cerritos's Housing Stock?
With 89% 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 character of Cerritos's housing stock is one of deep historical layering - a median build year of 1976 signals a city built largely before the plumbing era changes of 1986 and 1970. Lead-soldered copper joints and, in the oldest properties, lead service lines are commonly present in this inventory. That context shapes what individual water testing may reveal, particularly in neighborhoods where the oldest housing is concentrated.
Over half of homes in Cerritos 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.
Cerritos: Remediation Cost in Perspective
While no remediation project is entirely without cost, the relationship between estimated remediation and property values in Cerritos 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 Cerritos 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 23% above the California average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Cerritos
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.
89% - that captures the slice of Cerritos 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 Flood-Claim Evidence for Cerritos
Historical NFIP data for Cerritos contains 3 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $545. 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>$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 Cerritos
- 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 Cerritos's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 89% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Cerritos, CA