Grand Island, NE: 2 Health Violations - Home Safety 67/100
3 ZIP codes · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Grand Island: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Drilling into federal monitoring figures for Grand Island in NE, the pattern is middle-of-the-road - some utilities have documented MCL exceedances or treatment technique violations in recent years, while others have operated without a single flag, making the city's grade a genuine average rather than a rounded-down high.
How Grand Island Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Grand Island Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 2 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.002 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 68% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.2 - above typical levels.
Grand Island's Water Providers
Consolidated water delivery characterizes Grand Island, NE: among 1 system in federal records, one utility holds the dominant service position - carrying the rate-setting authority, the infrastructure obligations, and the EPA reporting burden for most residential addresses.
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 3 ZIP codes in Grand Island, Nebraska, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 55,925 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 3 ZIP codes.
2 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 2 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Grand Island: C (67/100)
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
Grand Island water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0020 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 2 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 3 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 6 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 68801 | C | 2 | 2 | City of Grand Island, |
| 68803 | — | 2 | 2 | City of Grand Island, |
All ZIP Codes in Grand 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.
Grand 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
What's in Grand Island's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Grand Island Infrastructure Age
With 68% 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
While newer cities carry lower aggregate plumbing risk from lead-era construction, Grand Island sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1975 indicates that more than half the housing stock was built before 1986, when lead solder was still legally used in residential copper plumbing - and a substantial portion likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still commonly installed for service lines. These two thresholds together define the elevated plumbing risk environment that older housing cities carry, independent of what the municipal water supply delivers to the meter.
Over half of homes in Grand 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 Grand Island
Setting Grand Island remediation figures against its property market, the resulting ratio sits comfortably in the low tier - a classification that reflects the kind of household financial position where most homeowners can identify documented issues, schedule the work, and absorb the cost without it registering as a significant budget disruption.
Remediation costs in Grand Island are relatively low compared to home values. The $933–$2,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 29% above the Nebraska average.
Grand 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.
Wherever 68% of local housing was built before solder rules changed - as is the case in Grand Island - a faucet-level sample closes the gap that aggregate utility data cannot.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Grand Island: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Grand Island contains 117 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $10,381. 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>$1,800</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 Grand Island
- 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 Combined Radium can reduce the most common contaminant found in Grand Island's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 68% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Grand Island, NE