Inkster, MI: Lead Above EPA Action Level - Home Safety 89/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Inkster: A.
Checked records flag no major concern; missing data is unknown.
Within Inkster, MI, the available records add up to an upper-tier grade; that grade describes records, not the water at a given faucet.
How Inkster Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Inkster Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 8 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0176 mg/L. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L applies to each water system's own 90th percentile, not to this average.
- Homes built before 1986: 90% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $5,400 per household.
- Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 14.63.
Who Supplies Your Water in Inkster
Sorted by reported population served, the top 3 of 3 public water systems mapped to Inkster, MI appear below, each with its own federal compliance record.
- A
- A
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Inkster, Michigan (population ~25,602), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 138,121 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 Inkster: A (89/100)
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
Inkster water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0176 mg/L (exceeds EPA action level) (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 1 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
1 of 1 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 3.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Reporting | 6 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48141 | A | 8 | 0 | Inkster |
All ZIP Codes in Inkster
- 48141 [A] - 8 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 Inkster
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Inkster Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Inkster
With 90% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. Federal law banned lead solder in drinking-water plumbing in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Pre-1986 homes make up a large part of Inkster's housing; median build year 1953.
Over half of homes in Inkster were built before 1986, when federal law began restricting lead solder in drinking-water plumbing. 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 Inkster Homeowners
What does the elevated remediation share mean for Inkster homeowners financially? A serious commitment - one that calls for structured planning rather than an ad-hoc response.
Estimated remediation costs in Inkster equal about 7.1% of the median home value; how much that burdens a household depends on its finances. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $3,600–$7,200. Home values here are 63% below the Michigan average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Inkster
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
How much lead reaches a given Inkster faucet depends on that building's service line and plumbing, and area data cannot settle it. What the data do show is an average of 90th-percentile lead results above 0.015 mg/L across the city's ZIP codes and a housing stock that is 90% pre-1986. The utility's lead service line inventory and a certified laboratory tap test are direct checks for a household.
1 ZIP code (100% of the city's ZIP records) is served by a water system whose 90th-percentile lead result exceeds the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Inkster
Historical NFIP data for Inkster contains 10 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $2,695. 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 $5,400 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 Inkster, MI