Hermosa Beach, CA Home Safety: Home Safety 75/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Hermosa Beach: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Tap water monitoring data for Hermosa Beach shows a consistently clean picture in CA - few violations on record, compliance well above the median.
How Hermosa Beach Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Hermosa Beach Water: The Quick Version
- Average lead level: 0.0014 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 77% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.71.
Water Systems Serving Hermosa Beach
A single utility carries the primary residential water load in Hermosa Beach, CA - the dominant provider across 1 federally tracked system.
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Hermosa Beach, California (population ~19,248), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 96,853 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.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Hermosa Beach: B (75/100)
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
Hermosa Beach water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0014 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90254 | B | California Water Service Company - Herm/redo | 96,853 |
All ZIP Codes in Hermosa Beach
- 90254 [B]
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 Hermosa Beach
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
How Old Is Hermosa Beach's Housing Stock?
With 77% 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
Decades of residential development in Hermosa Beach took place before the two main regulatory milestones that reduced plumbing-era lead risk: the phase-out of lead pipes before 1970, and the federal ban on lead solder in 1986. With a median build year of 1961, the housing stock here is anchored in that earlier period. The distinction between pre-1970 and 1970-to-1986 construction matters: the oldest homes may have lead pipes in the service line and lead solder in the copper joints, while the 1970-to-1986 tier still carries the solder risk even after lead pipes became less common. Together, these two risk layers affect a majority of the residential properties in the city - a fact the aggregate water quality data doesn't directly reveal.
Over half of homes in Hermosa Beach 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.
Hermosa Beach: Remediation Cost in Perspective
In Hermosa Beach, property values comfortably outpace what documented remediation typically costs - the equity share is proportionally low.
Remediation costs in Hermosa Beach are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 171% above the California average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Hermosa Beach
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.
Locally, 77% of Hermosa Beach homes carry interior plumbing from the era when lead solder was still permitted in new builds, and citywide monitoring approaches or crosses the EPA action benchmark. Households can find a draw-test kit and certified filtration through verified retailers.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Hermosa Beach
Historical NFIP data for Hermosa Beach contains 10 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $2,501. 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>$1,600</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 Hermosa Beach, CA