Ellington, CT: 1 Violation - Home Safety 66/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Ellington: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Ellington shows moderate tap water quality for CT - some areas carry documented EPA violations while others meet standards without issues.
How Ellington Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Ellington Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0019 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 56% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Ellington
Federal records list 1 water system serving Ellington, CT. One provider accounts for the large majority of residential water connections in the area, concentrating infrastructure and compliance accountability.
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Ellington, Connecticut (population ~16,571), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 101,313 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 Ellington: C (66/100)
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
Ellington water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0019 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 3 (Low Risk)
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 06029 | C | 1 | 0 | Ctwc - Northern Reg-western System |
All ZIP Codes in Ellington
- 06029 [C] - 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.
Top Contaminants in Ellington Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Ellington
With 56% 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 1987, Ellington 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 Ellington 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 Ellington Homeowners
Across Ellington, the equity share taken up by estimated remediation is small - a favorable ratio for most property owners.
Remediation costs in Ellington are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,200–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 14% below the Connecticut average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Ellington
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.
Despite citywide averages serving as the standard public reference point, those aggregates cannot resolve what is happening at one specific faucet - and where 56% of Ellington homes come from before the solder rule or where utility samples sit at or above the action mark, the gap between system data and faucet reality matters more than it does in lower-exposure communities. An in-home draw closes that gap, with certified filtration through retailer networks available where confirmed faucet results warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Ellington
Historical NFIP data for Ellington contains 6 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $6,174. 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>$1,800</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 Ellington
- 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 Lead and Copper Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Ellington's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 56% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Ellington, CT