Wichita, KS Water Safety: 80/100 (2026)
32 ZIP codes · 13 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Wichita's tap water quality puts it in KS's upper tier — health-based violations are rare and the compliance record is consistently above average.
How Wichita Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Water Quality Map: Wichita, KS
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Safety grade breakdown for Wichita's 32 ZIP codes.
Key Facts for Wichita Residents
- Average lead level: 0.0014 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 57% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,472 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.14 — above typical levels.
Wichita's Water Providers
With 3 utilities splitting service in Wichita, KS, water accountability is distributed across 13 systems on the federal record.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 32 ZIP codes in Wichita, Kansas, covering 13 community water systems serving approximately 425,167 people.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Wichita — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Wichita: B (80/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Wichita water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0014 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 32 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 67201 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67202 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67203 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67204 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67205 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67206 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67207 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67208 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67209 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
| 67210 | B | City of Wichita, | 395,699 |
All ZIP Codes in Wichita
- 67201 [B]
- 67202 [B]
- 67203 [B]
- 67204 [B]
- 67205 [B]
- 67206 [B]
- 67207 [B]
- 67208 [B]
- 67209 [B]
- 67210 [B]
- 67211 [B]
- 67212 [B]
- 67213 [B]
- 67214 [B]
- 67215 [B]
- 67216 [B]
- 67217 [B]
- 67218 [B]
- 67219 [B]
- 67220 [B]
- 67223 [B]
- 67226 [B]
- 67227 [B]
- 67228 [B]
- 67230 [B]
- 67232 [B]
- 67235 [B]
- 67260 [B]
- 67275 [B]
- 67276 [B]
- 67277 [B]
- 67278 [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
Updated daily.
Wichita 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
Wichita Infrastructure Age
With 57% 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
Plumbing risk in older housing is defined by two eras: the pre-1970 period when lead pipes were commonly used for service lines, and the 1970-to-1986 period when lead solder remained standard in copper plumbing until the federal ban. Wichita's median build year of 1979 lands in a range where both eras are heavily represented in the housing stock. That creates an elevated aggregate environment for plumbing-related lead exposure — one that city-level water quality averages don't capture, because the risk sits inside individual properties rather than in the distribution system.
Over half of homes in Wichita 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 Wichita
At current valuations, Wichita sits in the low remediation-share tier — the equity impact of fixing documented issues is proportionally minor.
Remediation costs in Wichita are relatively low compared to home values. The $719–$2,378 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 28% above the Kansas average.
Wichita: 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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Wichita have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 57% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Wichita: Flood History & Water Damage Risk
The National Flood Insurance Program builds its dataset one claim at a time — each filed claim represents a property where flood damage was severe enough to trigger an insurance payout. For Wichita, that dataset has accumulated 680 such events across the program's multi-decade history. 72% of ZIP codes here carry official FEMA flood zone designations, reflecting federal assessments of where flood risk is concentrated. Together, those data points describe a community with a documented, substantial flood exposure — the kind that shapes not just property risk but also the periodic reliability of water supply infrastructure. When flood events reach that scale, treatment systems face peak-load contamination stress, private wells become vulnerable to surface water intrusion, and the distribution network can experience backflow conditions that allow untreated water to re-enter the system.
Wichita has a significant flood history with 680 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $12,641 per claim. With 72% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,472</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Wichita, KS