Chestnut Hill, MA: 2 Violations - Home Safety 81/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Chestnut Hill: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Across Chestnut Hill, EPA monitoring data shows low violation rates and healthy safety margins - a pattern that places the city well above MA's average for drinking water compliance across recent reporting cycles.
How Chestnut Hill Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Chestnut Hill Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 2 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0058 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 79% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.28.
Chestnut Hill's Water Providers
Chestnut Hill, MA is covered by 3 major water utilities out of 3 federally tracked systems, each managing its own pipes, treatment processes, and EPA filings. What a household gets from the tap depends on which provider's system serves that address.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts (population ~22,325), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 827,769 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. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Chestnut Hill: B (81/100)
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
Chestnut Hill water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0058 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 02467 | B | 2 | 0 | Newton Water Department (mwra) |
All ZIP Codes in Chestnut Hill
- 02467 [B] - 2 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.
Chestnut Hill Community Health Snapshot
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
What's in Chestnut Hill's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Chestnut Hill Infrastructure Age
With 79% 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
Heavily weighted toward older construction, Chestnut Hill's housing stock carries a median build year of 1950. That profile puts a majority of homes in the era when lead-soldered copper plumbing was standard practice.
Over half of homes in Chestnut Hill 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Chestnut Hill
In Chestnut Hill, property wealth outpaces what documented remediation typically demands - the equity burden lands well within the low tier.
Remediation costs in Chestnut Hill are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 122% above the Massachusetts average.
Chestnut Hill: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
When older housing represents 79% of the local inventory or aggregate readings approach the federal action level, an in-home check becomes the standard way to translate citywide averages into the specific reality of an individual Chestnut Hill address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Chestnut Hill: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Chestnut Hill contains 36 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $5,473. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% 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>$1,600</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 Chestnut Hill, MA