Avoca, IA: 1 Violation - Home Safety 66/100
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Avoca: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Although much of Avoca meets baseline drinking water standards, some IA-tracked service areas show violations that merit a closer look - particularly for older housing stock.
How Avoca Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Avoca Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.002 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 78% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.79 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Avoca
Residential addresses in Avoca, IA are served by 2 primary water providers out of 2 systems in federal records. Each system maintains separate infrastructure and files its own EPA compliance reports, so service conditions are not uniform across the city.
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Avoca, Iowa (population ~1,935), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 5,690 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 Avoca: 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
Avoca water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0020 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51521 | C | 1 | 0 | Urban Bluffs - North |
All ZIP Codes in Avoca
- 51521 [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.
Health Outcomes in Avoca
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 Avoca Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Avoca
With 78% 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
For residents trying to assess tap water risk in Avoca, the median build year of 1957 is the starting context. It signals that a majority of homes were constructed before 1986 - the year federal rules prohibited lead solder in new plumbing - and that a significant share likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still a common choice for residential service connections. Neither risk tier is rare in this housing inventory.
Over half of homes in Avoca 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 Avoca Homeowners
Homeowners in Avoca are working with a moderate equity share for documented remediation - the commitment deserves a line in the household budget, not dismissal.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Avoca. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 5% above the Iowa average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Avoca
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.
Before the federal solder ban, lead solder was a routine plumbing material, and 78% of the Avoca inventory was built in that earlier era - a share large enough to move household-level reads onto the standard list.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Avoca
Historical NFIP data for Avoca contains 15 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $15,157. 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>$2,400</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 Avoca
- 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 Copper can reduce the most common contaminant found in Avoca's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 78% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Avoca, IA