Shalimar, FL Water Safety: 55/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated 2026-06-03
Shalimar's water quality grade in FL reflects a middle-ground assessment — service areas range from fully compliant to violation-flagged in current EPA records.
How Shalimar Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
What You Should Know About Shalimar Water
- Homes built before 1986: 60% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.02 — above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Shalimar
Federal records list 1 water system serving Shalimar, FL. One provider accounts for the large majority of residential water connections in the area, concentrating infrastructure and compliance accountability.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Shalimar, Florida (population ~10,775), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 80,295 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Shalimar — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Shalimar: C (55/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Shalimar water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Shalimar
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32579 | C | OKALOOSA CO.WTR.; SWR.SYSTEM | 80,295 |
All ZIP Codes in Shalimar
- 32579 [C]
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
Updated daily.
Health Outcomes in Shalimar
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
Housing & Infrastructure in Shalimar
With 60% 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
Plumbing risk in older housing is defined by two eras: the pre-1970 period when lead pipes were commonly used for service lines, and the 1970-to-1986 period when lead solder remained standard in copper plumbing until the federal ban. Shalimar's median build year of 1988 lands in a range where both eras are heavily represented in the housing stock. That creates an elevated aggregate environment for plumbing-related lead exposure — one that city-level water quality averages don't capture, because the risk sits inside individual properties rather than in the distribution system.
Over half of homes in Shalimar 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 Shalimar Homeowners
Across Shalimar, the equity share taken up by estimated remediation is small — a favorable ratio for most property owners.
Remediation costs in Shalimar are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,200–$2,500 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 27% above the Florida average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Shalimar
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 Shalimar have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 60% 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.
Flood & Climate Risk in Shalimar
The National Flood Insurance Program builds its dataset one claim at a time — each filed claim represents a property where flood damage was severe enough to trigger an insurance payout. For Shalimar, that dataset has accumulated 518 such events across the program's multi-decade history. 100% of ZIP codes here carry official FEMA flood zone designations, reflecting federal assessments of where flood risk is concentrated. Together, those data points describe a community with a documented, substantial flood exposure — the kind that shapes not just property risk but also the periodic reliability of water supply infrastructure. When flood events reach that scale, treatment systems face peak-load contamination stress, private wells become vulnerable to surface water intrusion, and the distribution network can experience backflow conditions that allow untreated water to re-enter the system.
Shalimar has a significant flood history with 518 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $31,197 per claim. With 100% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,800</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
What You Can Do in Shalimar
- 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. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 60% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Shalimar, FL