Owensboro, KY: 1 Health Violation - Home Safety 66/100
4 ZIP codes · 6 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Owensboro: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Documented records place Owensboro, KY in the middle grade tier.
How Owensboro Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Owensboro Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 3 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0018 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $800 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Owensboro
Counting every public water system linked to Owensboro, KY in federal data gives 6. The list below keeps the 3 largest by reported population served, a figure that covers each system's whole service area rather than the city alone. A household's own supplier is named on its water bill.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 4 ZIP codes in Owensboro, Kentucky (population ~87,437), covering 6 community water systems serving approximately 141,544 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 4 ZIP codes.
2 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 1 health-based violation appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Owensboro: C (66/100)
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
Owensboro water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0018 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 2 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
4 of 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 3 | 2 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Reporting | 2 | 1 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42301 | C | 3 | 1 | Owensboro Municipal Utilities |
| 42303 | C | 1 | 1 | Owensboro Municipal Utilities |
All ZIP Codes in Owensboro
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.
Top Contaminants in Owensboro Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Owensboro Homeowners
The remediation-to-value ratio for Owensboro sits at the bottom of the scale.
Estimated remediation costs in Owensboro can be compared with local home values. The $450–$1,400 estimated range can be set against the median property value; actual costs vary by home. Home values are 23% above the Kentucky average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Owensboro
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 Owensboro 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 Owensboro
Historical NFIP data for Owensboro contains 291 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $14,020. 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. The $800 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 Owensboro
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Check the certification, price and turnaround time of any water test kit or lab service.
- Install a certified water filter. For Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), listed in the water-quality records for Owensboro: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
- Check your home's plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead solder in pipes. A licensed plumber can assess your risk.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Owensboro, KY