Tahoe City, CA: 1 Violation - Home Safety 75/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Tahoe City: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Tap water in Tahoe City, CA scores well - low violation counts, above-average safety grade.
How Tahoe City Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Tahoe City Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0079 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 84% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,900 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.13.
Tahoe City's Water Providers
Residential water in Tahoe City, CA is supplied by 3 separate utilities - not one centralized authority. Each of those providers operates under its own service territory boundary, maintains its own distribution infrastructure, and files compliance documentation with the EPA on its own timeline. Federal data counts 3 water systems in the area, with these providers collectively accounting for the dominant share of household connections.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Tahoe City, California (population ~3,291), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 6,468 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code 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 Tahoe City: 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
Tahoe City water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0079 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.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 96145 | B | 1 | 0 | Tahoe City Pud - Main |
All ZIP Codes in Tahoe City
- 96145 [B] - 1 violation
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.
Tahoe City 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 Tahoe City's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Tahoe City Infrastructure Age
With 84% 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 Tahoe City 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 1976, 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 Tahoe City 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Tahoe City
Low proportionality - that's the Tahoe City picture when remediation costs are placed against typical home equity.
Remediation costs in Tahoe City are relatively low compared to home values. The $950–$3,200 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 33% above the California average.
Tahoe City: 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.
Households with kids in the home - for whom CDC guidance places particular weight on minimizing exposure - face a specific local picture in Tahoe City. 84% of homes here come from the pre-rule era, and aggregate utility samples either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L. A baseline draw-test kit and certified lead-removal filtration are available via retailer networks for households confirming conditions at a specific tap.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Tahoe City: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Tahoe City contains 9 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $13,085. 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>$1,900</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 Tahoe City, CA