Saranac Lake, NY Home Safety: Home Safety 100/100
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Saranac Lake: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Residents of Saranac Lake generally live with tap water that beats the NY safety average on key EPA compliance metrics.
How Saranac Lake Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Saranac Lake Water: The Quick Version
- Average lead level: 0.0056 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 82% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,500 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.83 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Saranac Lake
At present, 3 utilities serve the bulk of Saranac Lake, NY's residential water connections out of 4 systems active in the area, spread across independent providers with separate infrastructure and compliance obligations.
- A
- A
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Saranac Lake, New York (population ~7,410), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 13,725 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 Saranac Lake: 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
Saranac Lake water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0056 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)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12983 | A | Saranac Lake V | 5,345 |
All ZIP Codes in Saranac Lake
- 12983 [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 Saranac Lake
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 Saranac Lake'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
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. Saranac Lake's median build year of 1942 places it squarely in that category.
Over half of homes in Saranac Lake 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.
Saranac Lake: Remediation Cost in Perspective
What does remediation cost in financial context for Saranac Lake homeowners? Proportionally very little - the equity share here is low, and addressing documented issues is a manageable planning question rather than a material financial burden.
Remediation costs in Saranac Lake are relatively low compared to home values. The $950–$2,400 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 43% below the New York average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Saranac Lake
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.
Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 82% pre-rule share in Saranac Lake keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Saranac Lake
Historical NFIP data for Saranac Lake contains 9 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $2,562. 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>$1,500</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 Saranac Lake, NY