Rowley, MA: 1 Violation - Home Safety 49/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Rowley: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
Your top priority: see the breakdown below and consider a certified water filter. NSF certified filters →
Public water data for Rowley, MA shows a low safety grade - health-based violations appear across a meaningful share of service areas in current EPA records.
How Rowley Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Rowley Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 59% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,000 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.73.
Water Systems Serving Rowley
Most residential addresses in Rowley, MA are served by a single water utility - the dominant system among the 1 provider tracked in federal data.
- D
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Rowley, Massachusetts, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 6,214 people. 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 Rowley: D (49/100)
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
Rowley water systems draw from: Groundwater.
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 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant 3002 | Other | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01969 | D | 1 | 0 | Rowley Water Department |
All ZIP Codes in Rowley
- 01969 [D] - 1 violation
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 Rowley
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 Rowley
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Rowley's Housing Stock?
With 59% 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
Rowley's housing stock is predominantly older, with a median build year of 1971 that reflects decades of construction before federal plumbing standards were tightened. The 1986 ban on lead solder and the pre-1970 era of lead service lines are both relevant benchmarks here - a significant share of the residential inventory predates one or both of those cutoffs, creating an elevated baseline for plumbing-related lead risk that aggregate water quality data may not fully reflect at the household level.
Over half of homes in Rowley 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.
Rowley: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Placing remediation in the context of Rowley's property market, the equity share is low - most homeowners here are weighing a financial commitment that fits comfortably within routine property planning, far from the threshold where remediation becomes a material equity decision rather than a standard upkeep consideration.
Remediation costs in Rowley are relatively low compared to home values. The $2,000–$4,100 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 13% above the Massachusetts average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Rowley
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.
59% of Rowley housing dates to the pre-rule era, alongside aggregate readings hovering at the federal action mark - household-level confirmation through a draw-test kit fits the local picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Rowley
Historical NFIP data for Rowley contains 2 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $2,095. 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 <strong>$3,000</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.
What You Can Do in Rowley
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Contaminant 3002 can reduce the most common contaminant found in Rowley's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 59% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Rowley, MA