Fort Gratiot, MI: 5 Violations - Home Safety 98/100
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Fort Gratiot: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Fort Gratiot, MI: reliable drinking water, above-average safety record, few violations.
How Fort Gratiot Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Fort Gratiot Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 5 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0051 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 60% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 14.42 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Fort Gratiot
Across Fort Gratiot, MI, residential water comes from 3 primary utilities rather than a single consolidated provider. Each system operates independently - managing its own distribution infrastructure, rate schedules, and EPA compliance filings. Federal records track 4 water systems in the area, with these top providers accounting for the majority of residential connections.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Fort Gratiot, Michigan (population ~15,371), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 37,134 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. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Fort Gratiot: A (98/100)
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 Gratiot water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0051 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 3 (Low Risk)
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 8 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48059 | A | 5 | 0 | Fort Gratiot Township |
All ZIP Codes in Fort Gratiot
- 48059 [A] - 5 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.
CDC Health Data for Fort Gratiot
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 Fort Gratiot
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Fort Gratiot's Housing Stock?
With 60% 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 character of Fort Gratiot's housing stock is one of deep historical layering - a median build year of 1973 signals a city built largely before the plumbing era changes of 1986 and 1970. Lead-soldered copper joints and, in the oldest properties, lead service lines are commonly present in this inventory. That context shapes what individual water testing may reveal, particularly in neighborhoods where the oldest housing is concentrated.
Over half of homes in Fort Gratiot 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 Gratiot: Remediation Cost in Perspective
For most homeowners in Fort Gratiot, the estimated cost of water and safety remediation represents a proportionally modest share of what properties are worth - placing this area in the lower tier of the remediation share scale.
Remediation costs in Fort Gratiot are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$1,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 2% below the Michigan average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Fort Gratiot
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: 60% of Fort Gratiot 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 Flood-Claim Evidence for Fort Gratiot
Historical NFIP data for Fort Gratiot contains 24 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $8,221. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% 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>$1,200</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Fort Gratiot, MI