Hill City, MN: 1 Violation — 75/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated 2026-06-03
EPA compliance records for Hill City tell a largely clear story: violation rates are low, health-based exceedances are uncommon, and the city's grade puts it well above average within MN.
How Hill City Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Hill City Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 59% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 15.35 — above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Hill City
Federal drinking water records identify 1 system operating in Hill City, MN. One of those systems serves the overwhelming majority of residential addresses, concentrating infrastructure management, rate authority, and EPA compliance reporting within a single organization.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Hill City, Minnesota, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 1,429 people.
1 of 1 ZIP code (100%) have recorded EPA violations. All violations are monitoring/reporting type.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Hill City: B (75/100)
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
Hill City water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Hill City
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55748 | B | 1 | 0 | Hill City |
All ZIP Codes in Hill City
- 55748 [B] — 1 violation
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 Hill City
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 Hill City
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Hill City's Housing Stock?
With 59% 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. Hill City's median build year of 1971 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 Hill City 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.
Hill City: Remediation Cost in Perspective
In Hill City, the equity impact of remediation is proportionally small — not the kind of financial commitment that rises to the level of a genuine planning constraint, but a minor share of what most properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in Hill City are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 25% below the Minnesota average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Hill City
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 59% pre-rule share in Hill City 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 Hill City
The National Flood Insurance Program captures decades of claims at the local level, building a record of cumulative community flood exposure. For Hill City, that record documents 1 claim and 100% 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.
Hill City has a moderate flood history with 1 FEMA claims averaging $8,771 per payout. 100% 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>$1,600</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 Hill City, MN