Walnut, IA: 1 Violation - Home Safety 66/100
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Walnut: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
For most households in Walnut, IA tap water is adequate - the middle-tier grade reflects gaps in specific service areas.
How Walnut Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Walnut Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.002 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 95% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.79 - above typical levels.
Walnut's Water Providers
2 independent water providers serve Walnut, IA - 2 systems appear in federal records.
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Walnut, Iowa (population ~1,637), 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 Walnut: 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
Walnut 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 51577 | C | 1 | 0 | Urban Bluffs - North |
All ZIP Codes in Walnut
- 51577 [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.
Walnut 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 Walnut's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Walnut Infrastructure Age
With 95% 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
Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Walnut's median build year of 1901 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature - not a rare legacy - of the residential plumbing landscape.
Over half of homes in Walnut 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 Walnut
Property value and cost data for Walnut produce a moderate remediation-share classification - a level where advance financial planning has real practical value and the commitment is realistic for most homeowners who approach it deliberately.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Walnut. The estimated $800–$1,500 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 31% below the Iowa average.
Walnut: 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.
Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 95% pre-rule share in Walnut keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
What You Can Do in Walnut
- 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 Walnut's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 95% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Walnut, IA