Public water monitoring in Big Springs shows a safety record well above the NE median — health-based violations are isolated exceptions rather than recurring patterns, the city's systems have stayed compliant across recent reporting cycles, and no cluster of recurring exceedances appears in any single service area.

Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-04

Overview

We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Big Springs, Nebraska, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 669 people.

No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Big Springs — an excellent indicator of water quality.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Big Springs: B (83/100)

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

Big Springs water systems draw from: Groundwater.

Lead & Copper

• Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0019 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)

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Areas with No Violations

All ZIP Codes in Big Springs

• 69122 [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.

Housing Age Profile

Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Big Springs — it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1948 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.

1948

Median Year Built

97%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

69%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (69%) 1970–1986 (28%) Post-1986 (3%)

Over half of homes in Big Springs 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.

Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Big Springs Homeowners

At current valuations, Big Springs sits in the low remediation-share tier — the equity impact of fixing documented issues is proportionally minor.

Median Home Value

$100,000

Est. Remediation

$400

Remediation as % of home value 0.4%

Remediation costs in Big Springs are relatively low compared to home values. The $0–$800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 42% below the Nebraska average.

Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Big Springs

97%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.0019

mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

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.

97% — that captures the slice of Big Springs housing dating from before the federal ban on solder containing lead. It pairs with aggregate utility readings that either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L, the benchmark set under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule. Together, the two figures shift one-home reads into a standard household-level confirmation, particularly for families with kids. A certified lead-removal filter is available through retailer-verified channels if a kit returns results that warrant additional measures.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.