Old Orchard Beach, ME: 1 Violation - Home Safety 66/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Old Orchard Beach: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Compared to top-scoring cities in ME, Old Orchard Beach lands in the middle tier - some water systems meet standards cleanly, others carry documented violations, and performance can vary significantly across service areas.
How Old Orchard Beach Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Old Orchard Beach Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0025 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 65% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.18 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Old Orchard Beach
Federal records list 3 water systems tied to Old Orchard Beach, ME. Of those, 3 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Old Orchard Beach, Maine (population ~8,585), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 43,376 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. 1 health-based violation appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Old Orchard Beach: 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
Old Orchard Beach water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0025 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04064 | C | 1 | 1 | Maine Water Company Biddeford Saco Div |
All ZIP Codes in Old Orchard Beach
- 04064 [C] - 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.
Health Outcomes in Old Orchard Beach
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 Old Orchard Beach Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Old Orchard Beach
With 65% 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
Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Old Orchard Beach - it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1971 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Old Orchard Beach 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 Old Orchard Beach Homeowners
The household financial picture for Old Orchard Beach homeowners is proportionally favorable - addressing documented issues claims a small slice of equity, and the cost-to-value ratio puts this area well within the manageable tier.
Remediation costs in Old Orchard Beach are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,600–$3,300 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 20% above the Maine average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Old Orchard Beach
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 interior plumbing shapes the local picture: 65% of Old Orchard Beach homes predate the federal solder ban, and aggregate sampling either approaches or crosses the action benchmark. That mix makes a single-home draw a standard pre-purchase or pre-occupancy step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Old Orchard Beach
Historical NFIP data for Old Orchard Beach contains 211 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $18,640. 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 Old Orchard Beach
- 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 Fecal Coliform can reduce the most common contaminant found in Old Orchard Beach's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 65% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Old Orchard Beach, ME