Caribou, ME: 2 Violations - Home Safety 66/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Caribou: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Water monitoring across Caribou paints a mid-range picture within ME - solid compliance in some service zones, documented concerns in others. Most violations on record are concentrated in specific areas, and the overall grade has held in the middle tier without major shifts in recent monitoring cycles.
How Caribou Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Caribou Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 2 violations in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 76% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 16.17 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Caribou
Federal records list 1 water system serving Caribou, ME. One provider accounts for the large majority of residential water connections in the area, concentrating infrastructure and compliance accountability.
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Caribou, Maine, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 9,107 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 Caribou: C (66/100)
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
Caribou 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 2032 | Other | 2 | 1 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04736 | C | 2 | 0 | Caribou Utilities District |
All ZIP Codes in Caribou
- 04736 [C] - 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.
Health Outcomes in Caribou
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
Top Contaminants in Caribou Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Caribou
With 76% 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
The median home in Caribou was built in 1964 - a figure that places most of the city's residential stock in the era when lead solder was still standard in copper plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered joints; those built before 1970 face the additional possibility of lead pipes in the service line itself.
Over half of homes in Caribou 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.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Caribou Homeowners
The cost-to-value ratio in Caribou is in the moderate range - neither dismissible nor alarming, but above the threshold where remediation can be treated as incidental. Most homeowners here are weighing a real equity commitment, and the moderate classification reflects that accurately.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Caribou. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 52% below the Maine average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Caribou
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.
Despite citywide averages serving as the standard public reference point, those aggregates cannot resolve what is happening at one specific faucet - and where 76% of Caribou homes come from before the solder rule or where utility samples sit at or above the action mark, the gap between system data and faucet reality matters more than it does in lower-exposure communities. An in-home draw closes that gap, with certified filtration through retailer networks available where confirmed faucet results warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Caribou
Historical NFIP data for Caribou contains 10 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $1,578. 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>$2,400</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 Caribou
- 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 2032 can reduce the most common contaminant found in Caribou's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 76% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Caribou, ME