Calvert City, KY Water Safety: 90/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
In current tracking cycles, Calvert City records above-average water quality outcomes for KY; compliance history over recent years shows few departures from federal standards and no systemic failures across its water systems.
How Calvert City Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
What You Should Know About Calvert City Water
- Average lead level: 0.003 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 62% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Calvert City
3 water utilities share the residential service territory in Calvert City, KY — out of 3 total systems in federal records.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Calvert City, Kentucky (population ~5,733), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 85,661 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Calvert City — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Calvert City: A (90/100)
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
Calvert City water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0030 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42029 | A | Calvert City Municipal Water Department | 4,381 |
All ZIP Codes in Calvert City
- 42029 [A]
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.
Housing & Infrastructure in Calvert City
With 62% 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
While newer cities carry lower aggregate plumbing risk from lead-era construction, Calvert City sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1972 indicates that more than half the housing stock was built before 1986, when lead solder was still legally used in residential copper plumbing — and a substantial portion likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still commonly installed for service lines. These two thresholds together define the elevated plumbing risk environment that older housing cities carry, independent of what the municipal water supply delivers to the meter.
Over half of homes in Calvert City 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.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Calvert City Homeowners
Across the Calvert City housing market, the estimated remediation share lands in a middle tier — not a minor footnote, but not a prohibitive burden either; the cost-to-value ratio reflects a moderate equity commitment, one that sits above routine maintenance territory and warrants a dedicated line in the household budget.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Calvert City. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 3% below the Kentucky average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Calvert City
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.
Wherever 62% of local housing was built before solder rules changed — as is the case in Calvert City — a faucet-level sample closes the gap that aggregate utility data cannot.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Calvert City
Taken together, Calvert City's 11 NFIP flood insurance claims and 100% FEMA flood zone coverage place it in the moderate range of exposure. That middle position has specific implications for water quality. The contamination pathways that flooding can open — surface water overwhelming treatment facility intake, floodwaters infiltrating private wells, distribution pressure changes creating backflow — are not constant risks in a moderate-exposure community. But they do become active during significant flood events, and the claim record here indicates enough of those events to make flood timing an occasional factor in local water quality conversations.
Calvert City has a moderate flood history with 11 FEMA claims averaging $40,463 per payout. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
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>$2,400</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 Calvert City, KY