Santa Cruz, CA: 3 Health Violations - Home Safety 78/100
6 ZIP codes · 6 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Santa Cruz: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Drinking water tracked for Santa Cruz by CA authorities posts above-average scores - the majority of systems are free from health-based exceedances and the city's grade sits above the state median.
How Santa Cruz Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Santa Cruz Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 18 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.004 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 72% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,500 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.85.
Who Supplies Your Water in Santa Cruz
With 3 utilities splitting service in Santa Cruz, CA, water accountability is distributed across 6 systems on the federal record.
- B
- B
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 6 ZIP codes in Santa Cruz, California (population ~99,985), covering 6 community water systems serving approximately 173,293 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 4 of 6 ZIP codes.
1 of 4 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (25%) have recorded EPA violations. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Santa Cruz: B (78/100)
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
Santa Cruz water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0040 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 4 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): 6 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 12 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 8 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 8 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 6 | 1 |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95060 | C | 18 | 3 | Santa Cruz Water Department |
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 95062 | B | Santa Cruz Water Department | 94,626 |
| 95064 | B | Santa Cruz Water Department | 94,626 |
| 95065 | — | Santa Cruz Water Department | 94,626 |
All ZIP Codes in Santa Cruz
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 Santa Cruz
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
Top Contaminants in Santa Cruz Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Santa Cruz
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
The median home in Santa Cruz was built in 1980 - a figure that places most of the city's residential stock in the era when lead solder was still standard in copper plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered joints; those built before 1970 face the additional possibility of lead pipes in the service line itself.
Over half of homes in Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz Homeowners
At current valuations, Santa Cruz sits in the low remediation-share tier - the equity impact of fixing documented issues is proportionally minor.
Remediation costs in Santa Cruz are relatively low compared to home values. The $900–$2,817 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 61% above the California average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Santa Cruz
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.
Confirming what arrives at a specific faucet is something utility-side averages cannot do. With 72% of Santa Cruz stock built before the lead-solder ban and citywide monitoring at or beyond the regulatory mark, a tap-level kit fits the standard diligence picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Santa Cruz
Historical NFIP data for Santa Cruz contains 255 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $23,677. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 67% 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>$1,500</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 Santa Cruz, CA