Albion, NE: 1 Violation — 70/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated 2026-06-03
Residents of Albion generally live with tap water that beats the NE safety average on key EPA compliance metrics.
How Albion Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Albion Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0037 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 80% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.63 — above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Albion
In Albion, NE, the drinking water supply is organized under a single dominant utility — a consolidated structure that shapes how infrastructure investment, regulatory compliance, and rate decisions flow to households. When one provider handles the overwhelming share of residential connections out of 1 tracked system, accountability is clear: service upgrades, EPA violation responses, and tariff changes all funnel through that single organizational structure.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Albion, Nebraska, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 2,927 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 Albion: B (70/100)
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
Albion water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0037 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant 2595 | Other | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68620 | B | 1 | 0 | City of Albion, |
All ZIP Codes in Albion
- 68620 [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 Albion
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 Albion
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Albion's Housing Stock?
With 80% 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
Viewed through the lens of construction era, Albion is predominantly an older city — a median build year of 1969 puts most of the residential inventory in the range where pre-1986 plumbing materials were the standard.
Over half of homes in Albion 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.
Albion: Remediation Cost in Perspective
The household financial perspective in Albion reflects a moderate cost-to-value ratio — an equity share that is not trivially small but remains within the range where most homeowners can address documented water and safety issues by treating the expense as a real line item in property planning rather than a discretionary one.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Albion. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 23% above the Nebraska average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Albion
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.
Practically, the structural drivers in Albion — 80% pre-rule stock and citywide monitoring at or beyond the regulatory benchmark — make an in-home draw the practical way to translate aggregate averages into the specific conditions at one address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Albion
Flood activity in Albion is neither negligible nor at the level of the highest-exposure areas in the NFIP dataset. The 2-claim record and 100% flood zone coverage suggest a community that has experienced recurrent events but has not faced the kind of sustained, severe exposure where water-supply contamination becomes a primary public health concern. It sits in a middle range where flood history merits inclusion in any complete local water quality picture.
Albion has a moderate flood history with 2 FEMA claims averaging $4,923 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>$2,400</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 Albion, NE