Merrick, NY: 3 Health Violations - Home Safety 98/100
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Merrick: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
EPA compliance records for Merrick tell a largely clear story: violation rates are low, health-based exceedances are uncommon, and the city's grade puts it well above average within NY.
How Merrick Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Merrick Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 3 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 92% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.69.
Water Systems Serving Merrick
Merrick, NY draws its residential water from 2 separate providers among the 2 federally tracked systems. Each operates independently, with its own infrastructure, rate structure, and compliance record.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Merrick, New York (population ~35,172), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 245,000 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. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Merrick: A (98/100)
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
Merrick water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 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 3 (Low Risk)
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 6 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11566 | A | 3 | 3 | Liberty Utilities New York - Merrick |
All ZIP Codes in Merrick
- 11566 [A] - 3 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.
CDC Health Data for Merrick
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 Merrick
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Merrick's Housing Stock?
With 92% 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
For residents trying to assess tap water risk in Merrick, the median build year of 1955 is the starting context. It signals that a majority of homes were constructed before 1986 - the year federal rules prohibited lead solder in new plumbing - and that a significant share likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still a common choice for residential service connections. Neither risk tier is rare in this housing inventory.
Over half of homes in Merrick 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.
Merrick: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Setting Merrick 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 Merrick are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,500–$4,000 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 87% above the New York average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Merrick
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.
If 92% of the Merrick inventory comes from before the federal ban on lead-bearing solder - and if utility samples sit at or near 0.015 mg/L - the gap between citywide averages and one specific faucet becomes a practical concern rather than a theoretical one. That is why one-home reads exist as a separate measurement. A certified filter through retailer networks addresses confirmed exposure where it appears in a household.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Merrick
Historical NFIP data for Merrick contains 2,052 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $48,502. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% 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>$2,400</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Merrick, NY