Royal Oak, MI: 6 Violations - Home Safety 82/100
3 ZIP codes · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Royal Oak: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
For households in Royal Oak, MI water data shows a consistently above-average safety picture.
How Royal Oak Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Royal Oak Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 6 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0057 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 86% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,500 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.75.
Water Systems Serving Royal Oak
Federal drinking water records identify 4 systems in Royal Oak, MI. The leading 3 providers serve the largest share of residential connections, each operating as a separate entity with its own rate authority, infrastructure management, and EPA compliance obligations - so service conditions are not uniform city-wide.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 3 ZIP codes in Royal Oak, Michigan (population ~57,923), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 173,639 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 3 ZIP codes.
2 of 2 ZIP codes 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 Royal Oak: 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
Royal Oak water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0057 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 2 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): 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 7 | 2 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48073 | B | 6 | 0 | City of Royal Oak, |
| 48067 | B | 1 | 0 | City of Royal Oak, |
All ZIP Codes in Royal Oak
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 Royal Oak
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 Royal Oak
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Royal Oak's Housing Stock?
With 86% 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
For residents trying to assess tap water risk in Royal Oak, the median build year of 1954 is the starting context. It signals that a majority of homes were constructed before 1986 - the year federal rules prohibited lead solder in new plumbing - and that a significant share likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still a common choice for residential service connections. Neither risk tier is rare in this housing inventory.
Over half of homes in Royal Oak 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.
Royal Oak: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Property equity in Royal Oak runs well ahead of estimated remediation costs - a cost-to-value ratio that sits in the low tier, meaning documented water and safety issues here are the kind homeowners can plan to address without treating the expense as a significant budget event relative to what their homes are worth.
Remediation costs in Royal Oak are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,000–$2,150 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 51% above the Michigan average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Royal Oak
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.
86% of Royal Oak housing dates to the pre-rule era, alongside aggregate readings hovering at the federal action mark - household-level confirmation through a draw-test kit fits the local picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Royal Oak
Historical NFIP data for Royal Oak contains 27 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $24,834. 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>$1,500</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 Royal Oak, MI