Schenectady, NY: 3 Health Violations - Home Safety 65/100
11 ZIP codes · 10 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Schenectady: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
In recent monitoring cycles, Schenectady tap water shows a mixed record for NY - several systems have documented violations alongside areas with clean compliance histories.
How Schenectady Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Schenectady Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 17 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0034 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 81% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,836 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.06 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Schenectady
Water supply in Schenectady, NY follows a divided structure: 3 utilities account for the largest share of residential service out of 10 total systems, each managing its own distribution network and EPA reporting. Because these systems operate independently, rate decisions and compliance outcomes are determined separately.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 11 ZIP codes in Schenectady, New York (population ~169,777), covering 10 community water systems serving approximately 269,398 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 8 of 11 ZIP codes.
6 of 8 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (75%) have recorded EPA violations. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Schenectady: C (65/100)
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
Schenectady water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0034 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 8 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 1 ZIP code
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 10 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 13 | 6 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 9 | 5 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 8 | 1 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 7 | 6 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12302 | — | 7 | 1 | Glenville Water District #11 |
| 12304 | — | 5 | 0 | Schenectady City Water Works |
| 12306 | — | 5 | 2 | Rotterdam Water District #5 |
| 12308 | — | 5 | 0 | Schenectady City Water Works |
| 12309 | — | 5 | 0 | Niskayuna Consolidated Water District #11 |
| 12303 | C | 3 | 2 | Schenectady City Water Works |
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12305 | — | Schenectady City Water Works | 61,821 |
| 12307 | — | Schenectady City Water Works | 61,821 |
All ZIP Codes in Schenectady
- 12301
- 12302 - 7 violations ⚠
- 12303 [C] - 3 violations ⚠
- 12304 - 5 violations
- 12305
- 12306 - 5 violations ⚠
- 12307
- 12308 - 5 violations
- 12309 - 5 violations
- 12325
- 12345
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 Schenectady
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 Schenectady
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Schenectady's Housing Stock?
With 81% 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, Schenectady sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1940 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 Schenectady 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.
Schenectady: Remediation Cost in Perspective
The household financial perspective in Schenectady reflects a moderate cost-to-value ratio - an equity share that is not trivially small but remains within the range where most homeowners can address documented water and safety issues by treating the expense as a real line item in property planning rather than a discretionary one.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Schenectady. The estimated $1,791–$4,509 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 41% below the New York average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Schenectady
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.
Locally, 81% of Schenectady homes carry interior plumbing from the era when lead solder was still permitted in new builds, and citywide monitoring approaches or crosses the EPA action benchmark. Households can find a draw-test kit and certified filtration through verified retailers.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Schenectady
Historical NFIP data for Schenectady contains 307 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $22,865. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 63% 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>$2,836</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 Schenectady
- 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 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) can reduce the most common contaminant found in Schenectady's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 81% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Schenectady, NY