Elkton, KY Water Safety: 75/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Water utilities in Elkton have maintained a consistent compliance record over recent monitoring periods — the city's above-average grade in KY reflects low violation rates and no systemic health concerns flagged in current data.
How Elkton Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Elkton Water: The Quick Version
- Homes built before 1986: 57% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,100 per household.
Water Systems Serving Elkton
3 independent water providers serve Elkton, KY — 4 systems appear in federal records.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Elkton, Kentucky (population ~5,795), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 29,865 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Elkton — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Elkton: B (75/100)
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
Elkton water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Elkton
- 0 ZIP codes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42220 | B | Todd County Water District | 9,801 |
All ZIP Codes in Elkton
- 42220 [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.
How Old Is Elkton's Housing Stock?
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
Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Elkton's median build year of 1989 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature — not a rare legacy — of the residential plumbing landscape.
Over half of homes in Elkton 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.
Elkton: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Property equity in Elkton sits at a moderate ratio to estimated remediation costs — a classification that reframes the household financial perspective from routine maintenance to deliberate budgeting, where most homeowners have a realistic path to addressing documented water and safety issues if they map the financial commitment against available resources before committing to scope.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Elkton. The estimated $1,100–$3,400 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 1% below the Kentucky average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Elkton
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.
Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 57% pre-rule share in Elkton keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Elkton
The National Flood Insurance Program captures decades of claims at the local level, building a record of cumulative community flood exposure. For Elkton, that record documents 9 claims and 100% of ZIP codes inside FEMA-designated flood zones. What makes those numbers relevant to water quality is the set of mechanisms flooding activates: heavy precipitation that floods treatment intake zones can introduce contaminants upstream of normal filtration; well casings in low-lying areas can be infiltrated by floodwaters carrying bacteria, sediment, and chemical residue; and distribution system pressure changes during flooding can create backflow conditions. These effects become more probable as flood frequency and magnitude increase — and the NFIP record indicates both are meaningful factors locally.
Elkton has a moderate flood history with 9 FEMA claims averaging $15,519 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>$2,100</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 Elkton, KY