El Cerrito, CA Home Safety: Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About El Cerrito Water
- Homes built before 1986: 87% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,100 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.72.
Who Supplies Your Water in El Cerrito
Federal drinking water records identify 1 system operating in El Cerrito, CA. One of those systems serves the overwhelming majority of residential addresses, concentrating infrastructure management, rate authority, and EPA compliance reporting within a single organization.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in El Cerrito, California (population ~26,229), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 1,442,800 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Water Sources
El Cerrito water systems draw from: 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.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 94530 | — | East Bay Municipal Utility District | 1,442,800 |
All ZIP Codes in El Cerrito
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 El Cerrito
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
Housing & Infrastructure in El Cerrito
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
Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. El Cerrito's median build year of 1954 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature - not a rare legacy - of the residential plumbing landscape.
Over half of homes in El Cerrito 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 El Cerrito Homeowners
In El Cerrito, the equity impact of remediation is proportionally small - not the kind of financial commitment that rises to the level of a genuine planning constraint, but a minor share of what most properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in El Cerrito are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,100–$3,400 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 49% above the California average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in El Cerrito
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.
After the federal action removing lead-bearing solder from new plumbing took effect, building practice shifted - but 87% of the El Cerrito inventory predates that line. With aggregate samples near or beyond 0.015 mg/L, an in-home check moves out of the optional column into the standard list.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in El Cerrito
Historical NFIP data for El Cerrito contains 31 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $9,648. 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>$2,100</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for El Cerrito, CA