Fort Lupton, CO: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 42/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Fort Lupton: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
Your top priority: consider a certified water filter (6 health violations on record). NSF certified filters →
Federal monitoring data for Fort Lupton puts the city in CO's lower safety tier - exceedances show up in multiple utility districts, several systems have met thresholds requiring public notification under the Safe Drinking Water Act, and the compliance deficit has persisted across more than one consecutive reporting cycle, with no clear reversal visible in the most recent data available.
How Fort Lupton Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Fort Lupton Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 60 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.004 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 57% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $4,300 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.23.
Fort Lupton's Water Providers
Across Fort Lupton, CO, residential water comes from 3 primary utilities rather than a single consolidated provider. Each system operates independently - managing its own distribution infrastructure, rate schedules, and EPA compliance filings. Federal records track 5 water systems in the area, with these top providers accounting for the majority of residential connections.
- D
- D
- D
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Fort Lupton, Colorado (population ~14,542), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 45,549 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. 6 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Fort Lupton: D (42/100)
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
Fort Lupton water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0040 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 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| E. coli | Microbiological | 16 | 1 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 10 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 10 | 1 |
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 10 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 8 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80621 | D | 60 | 6 | City of Ft Lupton |
All ZIP Codes in Fort Lupton
- 80621 [D] - 60 violations ⚠
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.
Fort Lupton 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 Fort Lupton's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Fort Lupton Infrastructure Age
With 57% 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
Housing age is one of the most reliable proxies for plumbing-era lead risk, because two federal milestones - the widespread use of lead pipes before 1970 and the continued use of lead solder until 1986 - define the highest-risk tiers of the residential housing stock. With a median build year of 1970, Fort Lupton falls squarely within the older range - meaning a large fraction of the housing was built under the plumbing standards of those earlier eras. The distribution above captures where that risk concentrates, and why older neighborhoods warrant particular attention from residents concerned about tap water quality.
Over half of homes in Fort Lupton 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 Fort Lupton
Property value and cost data for Fort Lupton produce a moderate remediation-share classification - a level where advance financial planning has real practical value and the commitment is realistic for most homeowners who approach it deliberately.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Fort Lupton. The estimated $2,900–$7,000 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 6% below the Colorado average.
Fort Lupton: 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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Fort Lupton have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 57% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Fort Lupton: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Fort Lupton contains 13 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $105,900. 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>$4,300</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 Fort Lupton
- 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. Filters rated for E. coli can reduce the most common contaminant found in Fort Lupton's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 57% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Fort Lupton, CO