Merrillville, IN: 4 Violations - Home Safety 74/100
2 ZIP codes · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Merrillville: B.
This ZIP has a few items worth a quick check.
Tap water system records for Merrillville, IN support a high grade on this site; review your own system's entries for specifics.
How Merrillville Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Merrillville Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 4 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.003 mg/L.
- Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 14.49.
Who Supplies Your Water in Merrillville
Federal records list 2 water systems tied to Merrillville, IN. Of those, 2 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 2 ZIP codes in Merrillville, Indiana (population ~38,803), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 240,510 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 2 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 Merrillville: B (74/100)
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
Merrillville water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0030 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
2 of 2 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 2.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 4 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46410 | B | 4 | 0 | Indiana American Water - Northwest |
All ZIP Codes in Merrillville
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.
Health Outcomes in Merrillville
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Merrillville Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Merrillville
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Available area-level lead records for Merrillville do not determine the lead level at an individual tap. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Merrillville
Historical NFIP data for Merrillville contains 165 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $8,570. 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.
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 Merrillville, IN