San Marcos, CA: 1 Violation - Home Safety 90/100
4 ZIP codes · 7 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for San Marcos: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Unlike many cities its size in CA, San Marcos keeps health-based violation rates low - systems here score at or above the state average for tap water safety, with no systemic concerns flagged in the current data set.
How San Marcos Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for San Marcos Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0009 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.18.
San Marcos's Water Providers
Federal records list 7 water systems tied to San Marcos, CA. Of those, 3 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 4 ZIP codes in San Marcos, California (population ~100,367), covering 7 community water systems serving approximately 618,883 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 3 of 4 ZIP codes.
3 of 3 ZIP codes 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 San Marcos: A (90/100)
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
San Marcos water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0009 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 3 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 4 ZIP codes
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 3 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 92069 | A | 1 | 0 | Vallecitos Water District |
| 92078 | A | 1 | 0 | Vallecitos Water District |
| 92096 | — | 1 | 0 | Vallecitos Water District |
All ZIP Codes in San Marcos
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.
San Marcos Community Health Snapshot
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
What's in San Marcos's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Remediation Costs Compare in San Marcos
In San Marcos, 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 San Marcos are relatively low compared to home values. The $700–$2,400 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 18% above the California average.
San Marcos: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
Lead risk in San Marcos appears low overall, but individual homes may differ. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
San Marcos: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for San Marcos contains 42 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $19,810. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 50% 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>$1,200</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for San Marcos, CA