Rockaway Park, NY: High Radon Risk - Home Safety 100/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Rockaway Park: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Rockaway Park, NY: reliable drinking water, above-average safety record, few violations.
How Rockaway Park Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Rockaway Park Water: The Quick Version
- Average lead level: 0.01 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 82% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,700 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.03.
Water Systems Serving Rockaway Park
One utility dominates residential water service in Rockaway Park, NY - out of 1 system in federal records.
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Rockaway Park, New York (population ~21,430), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 8,271,000 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Rockaway Park: A (100/100)
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
Rockaway Park water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0100 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.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11694 | A | New York City System | 8,271,000 |
All ZIP Codes in Rockaway Park
- 11694 [A]
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 Rockaway Park
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
How Old Is Rockaway Park's Housing Stock?
With 82% 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, Rockaway Park sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1951 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 Rockaway Park 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.
Rockaway Park: Remediation Cost in Perspective
When remediation costs are measured against Rockaway Park home values, the resulting ratio is in the low tier - addressing documented water and safety issues here claims only a minor fraction of typical equity, and most homeowners are in a position where the financial commitment is straightforward rather than a material burden on their household budget.
Remediation costs in Rockaway Park are relatively low compared to home values. The $2,600–$5,500 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 132% above the New York average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Rockaway Park
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.
Households with kids in the home - for whom CDC guidance places particular weight on minimizing exposure - face a specific local picture in Rockaway Park. 82% of homes here come from the pre-rule era, and aggregate utility samples either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L. A baseline draw-test kit and certified lead-removal filtration are available via retailer networks for households confirming conditions at a specific tap.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Rockaway Park
Historical NFIP data for Rockaway Park contains 2,319 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $73,527. 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>$3,700</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Rockaway Park, NY