CITY REPORT MD 2 HEALTH VIOLATIONS

Fort Howard, MD: 2 Health Violations - Home Safety 64/100

1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Fort Howard: C.

A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.

Recent monitoring in Fort Howard shows middle-tier safety for MD - some systems are clean; others have logged EPA violations.

How Fort Howard Compares

Fort Howard64/100
Maryland avg69/100
National avg73/100

Data: EPA SDWIS

1
ZIP Codes
1
Water Systems
1
ZIPs with Violations
C · 64
Avg Safety Score
Zone 2
Radon Risk (Moderate)
$268K
Median Home Value
$2,700
Est. Remediation (1.0% of home value)

Fort Howard Water: The Quick Version

  • Your city's water systems recorded 9 violations in the past 5 years.
  • Average lead level: 0.0027 mg/L.
  • Homes built before 1986: 62% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
  • Estimated remediation: $2,700 per household.
  • CDC health risk index: 12.61 - above typical levels.

Water Systems Serving Fort Howard

As of current federal records, Fort Howard, MD is served primarily by one water utility among 1 tracked system. That single provider handles infrastructure investment, rate adjustments, and regulatory reporting under EPA oversight.

Overview

We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Fort Howard, Maryland (population ~246), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 1,600,000 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. 2 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Fort Howard: C (64/100)

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

Fort Howard water systems draw from: Surface water.

Lead & Copper

  • Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0027 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
Contaminant 2020 Other 4 1
Contaminant 2959 Other 4 1
Lead Inorganic 2 1
Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) Disinfection Byproducts 2 1
Stage 2 DBP Rule Treatment Technique 2 1

Areas with Most Violations

ZIP Code Safety Score Violations Health-Based System
21052 C 9 2 City of Baltimore

All ZIP Codes in Fort Howard

  • 21052 [C] - 9 violations ⚠

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

CDC Health Data for Fort Howard

11%
Asthma (US: 9.8%)
13.1%
Diabetes (US: 10.4%)
16.1%
Poor Mental Health (US: 14.8%)

Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.

Compared to National Average

Asthma 11% ↑
Diabetes 13.1% ↑
Mental Health 16.1% ↑

Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national

Key Contaminants Detected in Fort Howard

Contaminant 2020 4 violations
Other
Contaminant 2959 4 violations
Other
Lead 2 violations
Inorganic · EPA limit: 0.015 mg/L

Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.

How Old Is Fort Howard's Housing Stock?

1954
Median Build Year
62%
Built Before 1986
56%
Built Before 1970
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Likely Pipe Material

With 62% 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

Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Fort Howard's median build year of 1954 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature - not a rare legacy - of the residential plumbing landscape.

1954
Median Year Built
62%
Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)
56%
Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)
Pre-1970 (56%) 1970–1986 (6%) Post-1986 (38%)

Over half of homes in Fort Howard 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.

Fort Howard: Remediation Cost in Perspective

The equity impact of remediation in Fort Howard sits at a moderate level - real enough to plan for, within reach for most.

Median Home Value
$268,300
Est. Remediation
$2,700
Remediation as % of home value 1.0%

Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Fort Howard. The estimated $1,500–$4,100 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 37% below the Maryland average.

Protecting Children from Lead in Fort Howard

62%
Homes Built Before 1986
0.0027
mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

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.

Routinely in Fort Howard, where 62% of housing predates the solder ban and aggregate utility readings hover near the federal threshold, a faucet-level draw functions as a standard household step for families with small kids.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.

Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Fort Howard

8
Total FEMA Flood Claims
$32,130
Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data
100%
A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Fort Howard contains 8 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $32,130. 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>$2,700</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 Fort Howard

  1. 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.
  2. Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Contaminant 2020 can reduce the most common contaminant found in Fort Howard's water.
  3. Check your home's plumbing. With 62% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Fort Howard, MD

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Home Safety Score mean for Fort Howard, MD?
Fort Howard has an average Home Safety Score of 64/100 (Grade C) under model 4.0.0. The score combines EPA SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AQI, and is published only when all required domains are observed. 9 EPA violations have been recorded. Check individual ZIP code reports for component details.
How many water violations does Fort Howard have?
Fort Howard water systems have a total of 9 EPA violations, including 2 health-based violations. Violations are tracked across 1 ZIP code.
Does Fort Howard water have lead?
The average 90th-percentile lead level in Fort Howard is 0.0027 mg/L. This is below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L. Lead levels can vary by home - testing is recommended especially in older properties.
How does Fort Howard compare to Maryland average?
Fort Howard has an average Home Safety Score of 64/100, which is below the Maryland state average of 69/100 for the same model series.
How many water systems serve Fort Howard?
Fort Howard is served by 1 public water system across 1 ZIP code, serving approximately 246 people.
How much does it cost to fix water issues in Fort Howard?
Estimated remediation costs in Fort Howard average $2,700 per household, ranging from $1,500 to $4,100. Costs include filtration, pipe replacement, radon mitigation, and flood protection.
Home → Cities → Maryland → Fort Howard, MD

How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Fort Howard, MD: 2 Health Violations - Home Safety 64/100. https://zipcheckup.com/cities/md/fort-howard/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-cities-md-fort-howard,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Fort Howard, MD: 2 Health Violations - Home Safety 64/100}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/cities/md/fort-howard/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

Get safety alerts for Fort Howard, Maryland

Free updates when EPA data changes for this area. No spam.

Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy Policy.

Share This Page

X Facebook
Violations found - check filter options Free tool - no phone call required.