Duluth, MN Water Safety: 74/100 (2026)
14 ZIP codes · 2 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Looking at federal monitoring data for Duluth, MN: the city clears benchmarks set under the Safe Drinking Water Act with room to spare — recorded exceedances are rare, and the systems serving local households have not triggered any pattern of repeat deficiencies in recent cycles.
How Duluth Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Water Quality Map: Duluth, MN
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Distribution of water safety grades across Duluth.
Duluth Water: The Quick Version
- Average lead level: 0.008 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 79% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,300 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.88 — above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Duluth
2 independent water providers serve Duluth, MN — 2 systems appear in federal records.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 14 ZIP codes in Duluth, Minnesota, covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 118,632 people.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Duluth — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Duluth: B (74/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Duluth water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0080 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 14 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55801 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55802 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55803 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55804 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55805 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55806 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55807 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55808 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55810 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
| 55811 | B | Duluth | 86,859 |
All ZIP Codes in Duluth
- 55801 [B]
- 55802 [B]
- 55803 [B]
- 55804 [B]
- 55805 [B]
- 55806 [B]
- 55807 [B]
- 55808 [B]
- 55810 [B]
- 55811 [B]
- 55812 [B]
- 55814 [B]
- 55815 [B]
- 55816 [B]
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
Updated daily.
CDC Health Data for Duluth
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
How Old Is Duluth's Housing Stock?
With 79% 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
Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Duluth's median build year of 1938 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature — not a rare legacy — of the residential plumbing landscape.
Over half of homes in Duluth 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.
Duluth: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Across Duluth, the equity share taken up by estimated remediation is small — a favorable ratio for most property owners.
Remediation costs in Duluth are relatively low compared to home values. The $600–$2,136 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 20% above the Minnesota average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Duluth
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.
Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 79% pre-rule share in Duluth keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Duluth
The National Flood Insurance Program captures decades of claims at the local level, building a record of cumulative community flood exposure. For Duluth, that record documents 119 claims and 64% of ZIP codes inside FEMA-designated flood zones. What makes those numbers relevant to water quality is the set of mechanisms flooding activates: heavy precipitation that floods treatment intake zones can introduce contaminants upstream of normal filtration; well casings in low-lying areas can be infiltrated by floodwaters carrying bacteria, sediment, and chemical residue; and distribution system pressure changes during flooding can create backflow conditions. These effects become more probable as flood frequency and magnitude increase — and the NFIP record indicates both are meaningful factors locally.
Duluth has a moderate flood history with 119 FEMA claims averaging $8,201 per payout. 64% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,300</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Duluth, MN