Bloomington, IN: 2 Health Violations - Home Safety 64/100
8 ZIP codes · 8 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Bloomington: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Although much of Bloomington meets baseline drinking water standards, some IN-tracked service areas show violations that merit a closer look - particularly for older housing stock.
How Bloomington Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Bloomington Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 12 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0051 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 43% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,063 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.48.
Bloomington's Water Providers
Throughout Bloomington, IN, water comes from one of 3 primary utilities out of 8 total systems - independent providers with different rate structures, infrastructure, and compliance records that vary across the service territory.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 8 ZIP codes in Bloomington, Indiana, covering 8 community water systems serving approximately 129,373 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 6 of 8 ZIP codes.
6 of 6 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 2 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Bloomington: 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
Bloomington water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0051 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 6 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 8 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
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 | 16 | 4 |
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 7 | 6 |
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 7 | 6 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 3 | 2 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 3 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 47401 | C | 11 | 2 | City of Bloomington Utilities |
| 47403 | C | 5 | 2 | City of Bloomington Utilities |
| 47408 | C | 5 | 1 | City of Bloomington Utilities |
| 47404 | C | 3 | 1 | City of Bloomington Utilities |
| 47405 | — | 2 | 1 | City of Bloomington Utilities |
| 47406 | — | 2 | 1 | City of Bloomington Utilities |
All ZIP Codes in Bloomington
- 47401 [C] - 11 violations ⚠
- 47402
- 47403 [C] - 5 violations ⚠
- 47404 [C] - 3 violations ⚠
- 47405 - 2 violations ⚠
- 47406 - 2 violations ⚠
- 47407
- 47408 [C] - 5 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.
Bloomington 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 Bloomington's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Bloomington Infrastructure Age
With 43% 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
Because Bloomington's housing stock spans a wide range of construction eras, the median build year of 1988 lands in a zone where two distinct risk populations share the same residential market. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered copper plumbing joints - that practice was federally prohibited in 1986 but remained standard until then. The fraction built before 1970 face an additional risk: lead pipes used for service line connections were common before that decade, meaning both the pipe and the solder may be lead-containing in the oldest structures. Residents in mid-century or earlier homes face a different risk environment than neighbors in houses built after 1986, even if they drink from the same utility's supply - and that property-level divergence is what makes the age distribution above more diagnostic than the city-wide median alone.
Most homes in Bloomington were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Bloomington
In Bloomington, 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 Bloomington are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,025–$3,875 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 71% above the Indiana average.
Bloomington: 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.
Confirming what arrives at a specific faucet is something utility-side averages cannot do. With 43% of Bloomington stock built before the lead-solder ban and citywide monitoring at or beyond the regulatory mark, a tap-level kit fits the standard diligence picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Bloomington: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Bloomington contains 85 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $41,352. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 20% 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>$2,063</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 Bloomington
- 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 Surface Water Treatment Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Bloomington's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 43% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Bloomington, IN