Great Bend, NY Water Safety: 63/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated 2026-06-03
If you're checking Great Bend, NY tap water safety, the short answer is: average — violations are present in parts of the city and specifics depend on which water system serves your address.
How Great Bend Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Key Facts for Great Bend Residents
- Homes built before 1986: 42% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.45 — above typical levels.
Great Bend's Water Providers
While 1 water system appear in federal records for Great Bend, NY, one provider supplies the majority of residential connections — making it the central point of infrastructure and compliance accountability for most households.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Great Bend, New York (population ~20), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 420 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Great Bend — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Great Bend: C (63/100)
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
Great Bend water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Great Bend
- 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
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13643 | C | DEFERIET VILLAGE | 420 |
All ZIP Codes in Great Bend
- 13643 [C]
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.
Great Bend 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
Great Bend Infrastructure Age
With 42% 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
Because Great Bend's housing stock spans a wide range of construction eras, the median build year of 2018 lands in a zone where two distinct risk populations share the same residential market. Homes built before 1986 may have lead-soldered copper plumbing joints — that practice was federally prohibited in 1986 but remained standard until then. The fraction built before 1970 face an additional risk: lead pipes used for service line connections were common before that decade, meaning both the pipe and the solder may be lead-containing in the oldest structures. Residents in mid-century or earlier homes face a different risk environment than neighbors in houses built after 1986, even if they drink from the same utility's supply — and that property-level divergence is what makes the age distribution above more diagnostic than the city-wide median alone.
A significant portion of Great Bend's housing stock predates 1970, when lead pipes were commonly used. Residents in older homes should consider water testing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Great Bend: 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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Great Bend have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 42% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Great Bend: Flood History & Water Damage Risk
Across the NFIP's long tracking period, Great Bend shows 1 claim and 100% of ZIP codes within FEMA-designated flood zones — figures that place it in moderate flood exposure territory. At this level, the water-quality implications of flooding — contaminated wells, stressed treatment intake, distribution backflow — move from theoretical edge cases to genuine periodic risks, particularly during higher-severity events.
Great Bend has a moderate flood history with 1 FEMA claims. 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>$2,200</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.
What You Can Do in Great Bend
- 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. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 42% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Great Bend, NY