CITY REPORT IA

Fort Dodge, IA: 8 Violations - Home Safety 64/100

1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Fort Dodge: C.

A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.

Compared to top-scoring cities in IA, Fort Dodge lands in the middle tier - some water systems meet standards cleanly, others carry documented violations, and performance can vary significantly across service areas.

How Fort Dodge Compares

Fort Dodge64/100
Iowa avg63/100
National avg73/100

Data: EPA SDWIS

1
ZIP Codes
3
Water Systems
1
ZIPs with Violations
C · 64
Avg Safety Score
Zone 1
Radon Risk (High)
$140K
Median Home Value
$3,600
Est. Remediation (2.6% of home value)

Key Facts for Fort Dodge Residents

  • Your city's water systems recorded 8 violations in the past 5 years.
  • Average lead level: 0.0014 mg/L.
  • Homes built before 1986: 81% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
  • Estimated remediation: $3,600 per household.
  • CDC health risk index: 13.99 - above typical levels.

Fort Dodge's Water Providers

Federal drinking water records identify 3 systems in Fort Dodge, IA. The leading 3 providers serve the largest share of residential connections, each operating as a separate entity with its own rate authority, infrastructure management, and EPA compliance obligations - so service conditions are not uniform city-wide.

Overview

We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Fort Dodge, Iowa, covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 28,633 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 Fort Dodge: C (64/100)

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 Dodge water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.

Lead & Copper

  • Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0014 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
Surface Water Treatment Rule Treatment Technique 4 1
Consumer Confidence Report Rule Reporting 4 1
Bromoform Disinfection Byproducts 2 1
Chlorodibromoacetic Acid Disinfection Byproducts 2 1
Total Coliform Microbiological 2 1

Areas with Most Violations

ZIP Code Safety Score Violations Health-Based System
50501 C 8 0 Fort Dodge Water Supply

All ZIP Codes in Fort Dodge

  • 50501 [C] - 8 violations

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Fort Dodge Community Health Snapshot

10.1%
Asthma (US: 9.8%)
11.8%
Diabetes (US: 10.4%)
16.9%
Poor Mental Health (US: 14.8%)

Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.

Compared to National Average

Asthma 10.1% ↑
Diabetes 11.8% ↑
Mental Health 16.9% ↑

Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national

What's in Fort Dodge's Water?

Surface Water Treatment Rule 4 violations
Treatment Technique
Pathogens may not be adequately removed
Consumer Confidence Report Rule 4 violations
Reporting
Bromoform 2 violations
Disinfection Byproducts · EPA limit: 0.08 mg/L

Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.

Fort Dodge Infrastructure Age

1952
Median Build Year
81%
Built Before 1986
54%
Built Before 1970
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Likely Pipe Material

With 81% 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

Viewed through the lens of construction era, Fort Dodge is predominantly an older city - a median build year of 1952 puts most of the residential inventory in the range where pre-1986 plumbing materials were the standard.

1952
Median Year Built
81%
Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)
54%
Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)
Pre-1970 (54%) 1970–1986 (27%) Post-1986 (19%)

Over half of homes in Fort Dodge 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 Dodge

Within the Fort Dodge market, documented remediation claims a significant slice of typical equity - the financial weight here is material.

Median Home Value
$139,700
Est. Remediation
$3,600
Remediation as % of home value 2.6%

At 2.6% of home value, remediation costs in Fort Dodge represent a significant financial burden. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $2,300–$5,500. Home values here are 15% below the Iowa average.

Fort Dodge: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations

81%
Homes Built Before 1986
0.0014
mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

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 Fort Dodge - 81% 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.

Fort Dodge: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context

81
Total FEMA Flood Claims
$38,041
Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data
100%
A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Fort Dodge contains 81 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $38,041. 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>$3,600</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 Dodge

  1. 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.
  2. Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Surface Water Treatment Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Fort Dodge's water.
  3. Check your home's plumbing. With 81% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Fort Dodge, IA

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Home Safety Score mean for Fort Dodge, IA?
Fort Dodge has an average Home Safety Score of 64/100 (Grade C) under model 4.0.0. The score combines EPA SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AQI, and is published only when all required domains are observed. 8 EPA violations have been recorded. Check individual ZIP code reports for component details.
How many water violations does Fort Dodge have?
Fort Dodge water systems have a total of 8 EPA violations. Violations are tracked across 1 ZIP code.
Does Fort Dodge water have lead?
The average 90th-percentile lead level in Fort Dodge is 0.0014 mg/L. This is below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L. Lead levels can vary by home - testing is recommended especially in older properties.
How does Fort Dodge compare to Iowa average?
Fort Dodge has an average Home Safety Score of 64/100, which is above the Iowa state average of 63/100 for the same model series.
How many water systems serve Fort Dodge?
Fort Dodge is served by 3 public water systems across 1 ZIP code, serving approximately 28,633 people.
How much does it cost to fix water issues in Fort Dodge?
Estimated remediation costs in Fort Dodge average $3,600 per household, ranging from $2,300 to $5,500. Costs include filtration, pipe replacement, radon mitigation, and flood protection.
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How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Fort Dodge, IA: 8 Violations - Home Safety 64/100. https://zipcheckup.com/cities/ia/fort-dodge/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-cities-ia-fort-dodge,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Fort Dodge, IA: 8 Violations - Home Safety 64/100}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/cities/ia/fort-dodge/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

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