Harwood Heights, IL Home Safety: Home Safety 75/100
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Harwood Heights: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
How does Harwood Heights tap water hold up under EPA scrutiny? Above average for IL - documented violations are uncommon and the safety grade reflects a clean overall record.
How Harwood Heights Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Harwood Heights Residents
- Homes built before 1986: 80% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.18.
Harwood Heights's Water Providers
At present, 2 utilities serve the bulk of Harwood Heights, IL's residential water connections out of 2 systems active in the area, spread across independent providers with separate infrastructure and compliance obligations.
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Harwood Heights, Illinois, covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 24,028 people. 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 Harwood Heights: B (75/100)
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
Harwood Heights water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0000 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 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60706 | B | Norridge | 15,251 |
All ZIP Codes in Harwood Heights
- 60706 [B]
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.
Harwood Heights 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
Harwood Heights Infrastructure Age
With 80% 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
When a city's housing median build year is 1967, as in Harwood Heights, the implication for water quality research is straightforward: municipal-level data captures what leaves the treatment plant, but household plumbing from before 1986 determines what actually arrives at the tap. In cities where older housing predominates, that gap between system-level and household-level data is widest.
Over half of homes in Harwood Heights 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 Harwood Heights
In Harwood Heights, the equity impact of remediation is proportionally small - not the kind of financial commitment that rises to the level of a genuine planning constraint, but a minor share of what most properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in Harwood Heights are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 89% above the Illinois average.
Harwood Heights: 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.
Older stock in Harwood Heights represents 80% of the inventory, and citywide monitoring runs at or above the federal action level - making an in-home read a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Harwood Heights: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Harwood Heights contains 9 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $5,279. 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>$1,600</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Harwood Heights, IL