Southfield, MI: 9 Violations - Home Safety 81/100
6 ZIP codes · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Southfield: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Southfield tap water earns a high safety grade - above-average compliance with MI and federal standards.
How Southfield Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Southfield Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 9 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 86% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.08 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Southfield
Structurally, Southfield, MI's water supply is divided. Federal data identifies 5 water systems in the area, with 3 providers serving the bulk of residential connections. These utilities operate independently, meaning rate-setting authority and EPA compliance accountability are distributed rather than centralized.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 6 ZIP codes in Southfield, Michigan (population ~80,088), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 190,932 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 4 of 6 ZIP codes.
4 of 4 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 Southfield: B (81/100)
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
Southfield water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 4 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): 5 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 | 23 | 4 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 48076 | B | 9 | 0 | Southfield |
| 48033 | — | 4 | 0 | Southfield |
| 48034 | B | 4 | 0 | Southfield |
| 48075 | B | 4 | 0 | Southfield |
All ZIP Codes in Southfield
- 48033 - 4 violations
- 48034 [B] - 4 violations
- 48037
- 48075 [B] - 4 violations
- 48076 [B] - 9 violations
- 48086
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 Southfield
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 Southfield
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Southfield'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
Because the majority of Southfield's housing predates 1986, when lead solder was banned from new plumbing, the median build year of 1970 reflects a city where lead-era plumbing materials are common rather than exceptional.
Over half of homes in Southfield 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.
Southfield: Remediation Cost in Perspective
For most homeowners in Southfield, 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 Southfield are relatively low compared to home values. The $533–$2,000 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 23% above the Michigan average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Southfield
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.
Routinely in Southfield, where 86% of housing predates the solder ban and aggregate utility readings hover near the federal threshold, a faucet-level draw functions as a standard household step for families with small kids.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Southfield
Historical NFIP data for Southfield contains 53 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $2,803. 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 Southfield, MI