Carter Lake, IA: 10 Violations - Home Safety 61/100
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Carter Lake: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Across water systems in Carter Lake, safety results are uneven - a portion carry active or recent violations, while others meet federal standards without incident, placing the city in the middle tier for IA.
How Carter Lake Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Carter Lake Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 10 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.003 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 62% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,900 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.79 - above typical levels.
Carter Lake's Water Providers
Carter Lake, IA draws its residential water from 2 separate providers among the 2 federally tracked systems. Each operates independently, with its own infrastructure, rate structure, and compliance record.
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Carter Lake, Iowa, covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 3,773 people. 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 Carter Lake: C (61/100)
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
Carter Lake water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0030 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Copper | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51510 | C | 10 | 0 | Carter Lake Water District |
All ZIP Codes in Carter Lake
- 51510 [C] - 10 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.
Carter Lake 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 Carter Lake's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Carter Lake Infrastructure Age
With 62% 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
Carter Lake's housing stock is predominantly older, with a median build year of 1976 that reflects decades of construction before federal plumbing standards were tightened. The 1986 ban on lead solder and the pre-1970 era of lead service lines are both relevant benchmarks here - a significant share of the residential inventory predates one or both of those cutoffs, creating an elevated baseline for plumbing-related lead risk that aggregate water quality data may not fully reflect at the household level.
Over half of homes in Carter Lake 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 Carter Lake
Is remediation financially manageable for Carter Lake homeowners? At a moderate equity share, generally yes - with deliberate budgeting ahead of time.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Carter Lake. The estimated $1,900–$4,100 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 2% below the Iowa average.
Carter Lake: 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.
Practically, the structural drivers in Carter Lake - 62% pre-rule stock and citywide monitoring at or beyond the regulatory benchmark - make an in-home draw the practical way to translate aggregate averages into the specific conditions at one address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Carter Lake: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Carter Lake contains 14 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $4,280. 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>$2,900</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.
What You Can Do in Carter Lake
- 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 Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) can reduce the most common contaminant found in Carter Lake's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 62% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Carter Lake, IA