Throughout Sterling Heights and across its water systems, EPA compliance data for MI shows above-average performance - violations are minimal, none of the tracked systems have recorded repeated MCL exceedances in recent cycles, and the safety picture has held steady across multiple reporting periods.

Data: EPA SDWIS

Overview

We track home safety data for 5 ZIP codes in Sterling Heights, Michigan (population ~133,473), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 361,569 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 4 of 5 ZIP codes.

2 of 4 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (50%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Sterling Heights: A (100/100)

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

Sterling Heights water systems draw from: Surface water.

Lead & Copper

• Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0016 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 3 (Low Risk)

• Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
• Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
• Zone 3 (Low): 5 ZIP codes

Top Contaminants

Areas with Most Violations

Areas with No Violations

All ZIP Codes in Sterling Heights

• 48310 [A]
• 48311
• 48312 [A] - 4 violations
• 48313 [A] - 4 violations
• 48314 [A]

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.

Housing Age Profile

Decades of residential development in Sterling Heights took place before the two main regulatory milestones that reduced plumbing-era lead risk: the phase-out of lead pipes before 1970, and the federal ban on lead solder in 1986. With a median build year of 1980, the housing stock here is anchored in that earlier period. The distinction between pre-1970 and 1970-to-1986 construction matters: the oldest homes may have lead pipes in the service line and lead solder in the copper joints, while the 1970-to-1986 tier still carries the solder risk even after lead pipes became less common. Together, these two risk layers affect a majority of the residential properties in the city - a fact the aggregate water quality data doesn't directly reveal.

1980

Median Year Built

65%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

9%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (9%) 1970–1986 (56%) Post-1986 (35%)

Over half of homes in Sterling Heights 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 Sterling Heights Homeowners

In Sterling Heights, property values comfortably outpace what documented remediation typically costs - the equity share is proportionally low.

Median Home Value

$263,100

Est. Remediation

$1,500

Remediation as % of home value 0.6%

Remediation costs in Sterling Heights 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 29% above the Michigan average.

Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Sterling Heights

65%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.0016

mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

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.

Locally, 65% of Sterling Heights homes carry interior plumbing from the era when lead solder was still permitted in new builds, and citywide monitoring approaches or crosses the EPA action benchmark. Households can find a draw-test kit and certified filtration through verified retailers.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.

Historical NFIP Claim Context in Sterling Heights

51

Total FEMA Flood Claims

$37,733

Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data

25%

A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Sterling Heights contains 51 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $37,733. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 25% 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.