Harkers Island, NC Water - Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Harkers Island Residents
- Average lead level: 0.0105 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 51% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.93 - above typical levels.
Harkers Island's Water Providers
2 water systems are tracked federally in Harkers Island, NC. The top 2 providers collectively serve most residential addresses, but because they operate independently, infrastructure maintenance standards and compliance histories differ from one service zone to another.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Harkers Island, North Carolina (population ~1,080), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 2,680 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Water Sources
Harkers Island water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0105 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 3 (Low Risk)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 28531 | — | Harkers Island Sanitary District | 2,586 |
All ZIP Codes in Harkers Island
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.
Harkers Island Community Health Snapshot
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
Harkers Island Infrastructure Age
With 51% 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
Harkers Island's housing stock is predominantly older, with a median build year of 1985 that reflects decades of construction before federal plumbing standards were tightened. The 1986 ban on lead solder and the pre-1970 era of lead service lines are both relevant benchmarks here - a significant share of the residential inventory predates one or both of those cutoffs, creating an elevated baseline for plumbing-related lead risk that aggregate water quality data may not fully reflect at the household level.
Over half of homes in Harkers Island 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Harkers Island
In Harkers Island, property values comfortably outpace what documented remediation typically costs - the equity share is proportionally low.
Remediation costs in Harkers Island are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$1,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 25% above the North Carolina average.
Harkers Island: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
Before the federal solder ban, lead solder was a routine plumbing material, and 51% of the Harkers Island inventory was built in that earlier era - a share large enough to move household-level reads onto the standard list.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Harkers Island: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Harkers Island contains 166 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $9,891. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% 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 Harkers Island, NC