Rochester, MI: 6 Violations - Home Safety 82/100
4 ZIP codes · 9 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Rochester: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Water systems serving Rochester hold a strong EPA compliance record - the city places among the better-performing areas in MI with few health-based violations on file.
How Rochester Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Rochester Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 6 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0019 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 53% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,625 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.75.
Who Supplies Your Water in Rochester
Rochester, MI is covered by 3 major water utilities out of 9 federally tracked systems, each managing its own pipes, treatment processes, and EPA filings. What a household gets from the tap depends on which provider's system serves that address.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 4 ZIP codes in Rochester, Michigan (population ~102,352), covering 9 community water systems serving approximately 187,844 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 3 of 4 ZIP codes.
2 of 3 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (67%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Rochester: B (82/100)
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
Rochester water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0019 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 3 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 4 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | Inorganic | 3 | 2 |
| Radium-226 | Radionuclides | 3 | 2 |
| Radium-228 | Radionuclides | 3 | 2 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 3 | 2 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48309 | B | 6 | 0 | Rochester Hills |
| 48307 | B | 4 | 0 | Rochester Hills |
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48306 | B | Rochester Hills | 74,000 |
All ZIP Codes in Rochester
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 Rochester
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 Rochester Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Rochester
With 53% 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, Rochester's housing stock carries a median build year of 1991. That profile puts a majority of homes in the era when lead-soldered copper plumbing was standard practice.
Over half of homes in Rochester 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 Rochester Homeowners
What does remediation cost in financial context for Rochester homeowners? Proportionally very little - the equity share here is low, and addressing documented issues is a manageable planning question rather than a material financial burden.
Remediation costs in Rochester are relatively low compared to home values. The $850–$2,700 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 93% above the Michigan average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Rochester
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.
After the federal action removing lead-bearing solder from new plumbing took effect, building practice shifted - but 53% of the Rochester inventory predates that line. With aggregate samples near or beyond 0.015 mg/L, an in-home check moves out of the optional column into the standard list.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Rochester
Historical NFIP data for Rochester contains 11 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $37,732. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 33% 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>$1,625</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 Rochester, MI