Steele, KY: 10 Health Violations - Home Safety 77/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Steele: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Your top priority: consider a certified water filter (10 health violations on record). NSF certified filters →
Within Steele, safety indicators for tap water remain above the KY median - documented violations are infrequent and the city's compliance record sits in the upper tier.
How Steele Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Steele Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 10 violations in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 81% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $400 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Steele
A single utility carries the primary residential water load in Steele, KY - the dominant provider across 1 federally tracked system.
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Steele, Kentucky (population ~377), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 44,057 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 10 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Steele: B (77/100)
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
Steele water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0000 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
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 20 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41566 | B | 10 | 10 | Mountain Water District |
All ZIP Codes in Steele
- 41566 [B] - 10 violations ⚠
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 Steele Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Steele
With 81% 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, Steele sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1976 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 Steele 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 Steele Homeowners
When remediation costs are measured against Steele home values, the resulting ratio is in the low tier - addressing documented water and safety issues here claims only a minor fraction of typical equity, and most homeowners are in a position where the financial commitment is straightforward rather than a material burden on their household budget.
Remediation costs in Steele are relatively low compared to home values. The $0–$800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 26% below the Kentucky average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Steele
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.
Households with kids in the home - for whom CDC guidance places particular weight on minimizing exposure - face a specific local picture in Steele. 81% of homes here come from the pre-rule era, and aggregate utility samples either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L. A baseline draw-test kit and certified lead-removal filtration are available via retailer networks for households confirming conditions at a specific tap.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Steele, KY