Glendale, CA Home Safety: Home Safety 58/100
14 ZIP codes · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Glendale: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Glendale, CA: mid-range safety grade, uneven compliance across service areas.
How Glendale Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Glendale Water
- Homes built before 1986: 72% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,429 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.71.
Who Supplies Your Water in Glendale
Federal drinking water records identify 2 systems in Glendale, CA. The leading 2 providers serve the largest share of residential connections, each operating as a separate entity with its own rate authority, infrastructure management, and EPA compliance obligations - so service conditions are not uniform city-wide.
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 14 ZIP codes in Glendale, California, covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 173,495 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 9 of 14 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 9 ZIP codes with a reported violation count.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Glendale: 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
Glendale 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 9 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): 14 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 91201 | C | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
| 91202 | — | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
| 91203 | — | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
| 91204 | — | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
| 91205 | C | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
| 91206 | C | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
| 91207 | — | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
| 91208 | C | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
| 91210 | — | Glendale-city, Water Department | 188,784 |
All ZIP Codes in Glendale
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 Glendale
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 Glendale
With 72% 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
Viewed through the lens of construction era, Glendale is predominantly an older city - a median build year of 1968 puts most of the residential inventory in the range where pre-1986 plumbing materials were the standard.
Over half of homes in Glendale 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 Glendale Homeowners
Setting Glendale remediation figures against its property market, the resulting ratio sits comfortably in the low tier - a classification that reflects the kind of household financial position where most homeowners can identify documented issues, schedule the work, and absorb the cost without it registering as a significant budget disruption.
Remediation costs in Glendale are relatively low compared to home values. The $686–$2,286 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 44% above the California average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Glendale
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.
Practically, the structural drivers in Glendale - 72% pre-rule stock and citywide monitoring at or beyond the regulatory benchmark - make an in-home draw the practical way to translate aggregate averages into the specific conditions at one address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Glendale
Historical NFIP data for Glendale contains 78 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $9,071. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 25% 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>$1,429</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 Glendale
- 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. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 72% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Glendale, CA