Arden, NC: 1 Health Violation - Home Safety 65/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Arden: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Compared to top-scoring cities in NC, Arden lands in the middle tier - some water systems meet standards cleanly, others carry documented violations, and performance can vary significantly across service areas.
How Arden Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Arden Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 3 violations in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 33% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.54 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Arden
Federal records list 1 water system serving Arden, NC. One provider accounts for the large majority of residential water connections in the area, concentrating infrastructure and compliance accountability.
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Arden, North Carolina (population ~23,516), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 157,431 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 1 health-based violation appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Arden: C (65/100)
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
Arden water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0000 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
| Contaminant 0800 | Other | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28704 | C | 3 | 1 | City of Asheville |
All ZIP Codes in Arden
- 28704 [C] - 3 violations ⚠
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.
Health Outcomes in Arden
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
Top Contaminants in Arden Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Arden
Housing age data helps assess potential lead pipe and infrastructure risks. Newer housing stock generally means lower plumbing-related contamination risk.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Because Arden's housing stock spans a wide range of construction eras, the median build year of 1992 lands in a zone where two distinct risk populations share the same residential market. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered copper plumbing joints - that practice was federally prohibited in 1986 but remained standard until then. The fraction built before 1970 face an additional risk: lead pipes used for service line connections were common before that decade, meaning both the pipe and the solder may be lead-containing in the oldest structures. Residents in mid-century or earlier homes face a different risk environment than neighbors in houses built after 1986, even if they drink from the same utility's supply - and that property-level divergence is what makes the age distribution above more diagnostic than the city-wide median alone.
Most homes in Arden were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Arden Homeowners
Equity impact data for Arden lands in the favorable tier - remediation claims a small slice of what properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in Arden are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,600–$3,300 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 46% above the North Carolina average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Arden
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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Arden have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 33% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Arden
Historical NFIP data for Arden contains 18 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $25,238. 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>$2,400</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.
What You Can Do in Arden
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Chlorite can reduce the most common contaminant found in Arden's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 33% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Arden, NC