Chautauqua, NY: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 50/100
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Chautauqua: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
Systems across Chautauqua show elevated violation counts against NY benchmarks - the low safety grade reflects that ongoing compliance pattern.
How Chautauqua Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Chautauqua Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 78 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0076 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 74% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,700 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 14.07 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Chautauqua
Chautauqua, NY is covered by 2 major water utilities out of 2 federally tracked systems, each managing its own pipes, treatment processes, and EPA filings. What a household gets from the tap depends on which provider's system serves that address.
- D
- D
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Chautauqua, New York (population ~292), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 10,856 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. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Chautauqua: D (50/100)
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
Chautauqua water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0076 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant 2005 | Other | 4 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2010 | Other | 4 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2015 | Other | 4 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2020 | Other | 4 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2031 | Other | 4 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14722 | D | 78 | 0 | Mayville Village |
All ZIP Codes in Chautauqua
- 14722 [D] - 78 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 Chautauqua
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 Chautauqua Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Chautauqua
With 74% 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
When more than half a city's housing predates the 1986 federal ban on lead solder, plumbing-era lead risk becomes a citywide concern rather than an exception. Chautauqua's median build year of 1962 places it squarely in that category.
Over half of homes in Chautauqua 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 Chautauqua Homeowners
For most homeowners in Chautauqua, the estimated cost of water and safety remediation represents a proportionally modest share of what properties are worth - placing this area in the lower tier of the remediation share scale.
Remediation costs in Chautauqua are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,750–$3,900 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 102% above the New York average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Chautauqua
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.
Older stock in Chautauqua represents 74% of the inventory, and citywide monitoring runs at or above the federal action level - making an in-home read 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 Chautauqua
Historical NFIP data for Chautauqua contains 2 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $9,248. 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>$2,700</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 Chautauqua
- 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 Contaminant 2005 can reduce the most common contaminant found in Chautauqua's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 74% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Chautauqua, NY