Unlike higher-rated cities in ID, Smelterville carries a fair number of documented violations - the pattern of compliance gaps keeps the city in the middle tier of EPA safety rankings.

Data: EPA SDWIS

Overview

We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Smelterville, Idaho (population ~853), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 6,098 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.

The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Smelterville: C (67/100)

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

Smelterville water systems draw from: Surface water.

Lead & Copper

• Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 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.

Areas with No Violations

All ZIP Codes in Smelterville

• 83868 [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

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

Housing Age Profile

Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Smelterville's median build year of 1942 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature - not a rare legacy - of the residential plumbing landscape.

1942

Median Year Built

89%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

62%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (62%) 1970–1986 (27%) Post-1986 (11%)

Over half of homes in Smelterville 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.

Smelterville: Remediation Cost in Perspective

How does remediation fit within the broader financial picture for Smelterville homeowners? The equity share is moderate - large enough that treating it as a real planning consideration makes sense, and manageable enough that most homeowners have a clear path to addressing documented water and safety issues when they approach the commitment with deliberate advance budgeting rather than as an unplanned expense.

Median Home Value

$114,800

Est. Remediation

$1,200

Remediation as % of home value 1.1%

Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Smelterville. The estimated $800–$1,500 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 66% below the Idaho average.

Protecting Children from Lead in Smelterville

89%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.001

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.

When older housing represents 89% of the local inventory or aggregate readings approach the federal action level, an in-home check becomes the standard way to translate citywide averages into the specific reality of an individual Smelterville address.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.