CITY REPORT MD

Spencerville, MD: High Radon Risk - Home Safety 67/100

Name: Water Quality Data for Spencerville, MD
Creator: ZipCheckup
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Spencerville: C.

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

While Spencerville avoids MD's lowest safety tiers, a portion of its water systems have logged documented violations.

How Spencerville Compares

Spencerville67/100

Maryland avg69/100

National avg73/100

Data: EPA SDWIS

ZIP Codes

Water Systems

ZIPs with Violations

C · 67

Avg Safety Score

Zone 1

Radon Risk (High)

$565K

Median Home Value

$1,700

Est. Remediation (0.3% of home value)

Spencerville Water: The Quick Version

Homes built before 1986: 95% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
Estimated remediation: $1,700 per household.
CDC health risk index: 10.24.

Water Systems Serving Spencerville

Because residential water in Spencerville, MD flows primarily through a single utility, infrastructure decisions, rate-setting, and EPA compliance are all managed within one organizational structure. Federal records show 1 system active in the area, but one provider dominates the service landscape for most homes and apartments.

Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission
Serves ~1,900,000 people

C

Overview

We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Spencerville, Maryland (population ~384), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 1,900,000 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.

The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Spencerville: C (67/100)

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

Spencerville 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 1 (High Risk)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Areas with No Violations

ZIP Code	Safety Score	System	Population
20868	C	Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission	1,900,000

All ZIP Codes in Spencerville

20868 [C]

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 Spencerville

9.2%

Asthma (US: 9.8%)

10.8%

Diabetes (US: 10.4%)

12%

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 9.2% ↓

Diabetes 10.8% ↑

Mental Health 12% ↓

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

How Old Is Spencerville's Housing Stock?

1965

Median Build Year

95%

Built Before 1986

36%

Built Before 1970

Galvanized Steel or Copper

Likely Pipe Material

With 95% 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, Spencerville's housing stock carries a median build year of 1965. That profile puts a majority of homes in the era when lead-soldered copper plumbing was standard practice.

1965

Median Year Built

95%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

36%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (36%) 1970–1986 (59%) Post-1986 (5%)

Over half of homes in Spencerville 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.

Spencerville: Remediation Cost in Perspective

Because property values in Spencerville comfortably exceed estimated remediation costs, the equity impact here is proportionally small.

Median Home Value

$564,800

Est. Remediation

$1,700

Remediation as % of home value 0.3%

Remediation costs in Spencerville are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,100–$2,300 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 32% above the Maryland average.

Protecting Children from Lead in Spencerville

95%

Homes Built Before 1986

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.

Older stock in Spencerville represents 95% of the inventory, and citywide monitoring runs at or above the federal action level - making an in-home read a standard household-level step.

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

What You Can Do in Spencerville

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. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
Check your home's plumbing. With 95% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Spencerville, MD

💧

Water Quality

EPA violations, contaminant data, and water system grades

0 EPA violations

⚠️

Lead Risk

Lead levels, housing age, and pipe risk assessment

0 mg/L avg lead

🌬️

Air Quality

AQI data, wildfire smoke risk, mold risk, and health tips

🏠

Home Safety

Composite safety score, remediation costs, equity trap analysis

67/100 safety score

🔧

Infrastructure

Water system age, source indicators, and CO/gas safety

Compare with Nearby Cities

Abell, MD

1 ZIP code

Aberdeen, MD

1 ZIP code · 5 EPA violations · Grade D

Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD

1 ZIP code · 3 EPA violations · Grade D

Abingdon, MD

1 ZIP code · 3 EPA violations · Grade C

Accident, MD

1 ZIP code

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Home Safety Score mean for Spencerville, MD?

Spencerville has an average Home Safety Score of 67/100 (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. The available EPA record reports no violations for ZIP codes with reported counts. Check individual ZIP code reports for component details.

How does Spencerville compare to Maryland average?

Spencerville has an average Home Safety Score of 67/100, which is below the Maryland state average of 69/100 for the same model series.

How many water systems serve Spencerville?

Spencerville is served by 1 public water system across 1 ZIP code, serving approximately 384 people.

How much does it cost to fix water issues in Spencerville?

Estimated remediation costs in Spencerville average $1,700 per household, ranging from $1,100 to $2,300. Costs include filtration, pipe replacement, radon mitigation, and flood protection.

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