Lake Charles, LA: 33 Health Violations - Home Safety 90/100
11 ZIP codes · 11 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Lake Charles: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Based on current monitoring, Lake Charles holds an above-average drinking water safety record for LA - violations are infrequent and typically minor when they do appear.
How Lake Charles Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Water Quality Map: Lake Charles, LA
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Distribution of Home Safety grades across Lake Charles.
Lake Charles Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 66 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0022 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $1,560 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 14.91 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Lake Charles
Federal drinking water records identify 11 systems in Lake Charles, LA. The leading 3 providers serve the largest share of residential connections, each operating as a separate entity with its own rate authority, infrastructure management, and EPA compliance obligations - so service conditions are not uniform city-wide.
- B
- A
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 11 ZIP codes in Lake Charles, Louisiana, covering 11 community water systems serving approximately 135,457 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 6 of 11 ZIP codes.
3 of 6 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (50%) have recorded EPA violations. 33 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Lake Charles: A (90/100)
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
Lake Charles water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0022 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 6 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 11 ZIP codes
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 52 | 3 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 23 | 3 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 18 | 3 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 15 | 2 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 13 | 3 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 70607 | B | 49 | 31 | City of Lake Charles Water System |
| 70605 | B | 31 | 15 | City of Lake Charles Water System |
| 70615 | B | 23 | 11 | City of Lake Charles Water System |
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 70601 | A | City of Lake Charles Water System | 79,500 |
| 70609 | — | City of Lake Charles Water System | 79,500 |
| 70611 | A | Calcasieu Parish Ww District No 1 | 20,837 |
All ZIP Codes in Lake Charles
- 70601 [A]
- 70602
- 70605 [B] - 31 violations ⚠
- 70606
- 70607 [B] - 49 violations ⚠
- 70609
- 70611 [A]
- 70612
- 70615 [B] - 23 violations ⚠
- 70616
- 70629
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.
CDC Health Data for Lake Charles
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
Key Contaminants Detected in Lake Charles
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Lake Charles: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Within the Lake Charles market, estimated remediation claims a small portion of typical property equity - the financial burden is proportionally low.
Remediation costs in Lake Charles are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,040–$2,220 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 1% above the Louisiana average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Lake Charles
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.
Lead risk in Lake Charles appears low overall, but individual homes may differ. 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 Flood-Claim Evidence for Lake Charles
Historical NFIP data for Lake Charles contains 8,568 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $40,144. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 60% 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 <strong>$1,560</strong> 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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Lake Charles, LA