Shelter Island Heights, NY Home Safety: Home Safety 83/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Shelter Island Heights: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
EPA compliance records for Shelter Island Heights 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 Shelter Island Heights Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Shelter Island Heights Water
- Average lead level: 0.0013 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 71% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.13.
Who Supplies Your Water in Shelter Island Heights
The structure of water supply in Shelter Island Heights, NY is straightforward: one utility provides the bulk of residential service among 1 tracked system, concentrating rate-setting and infrastructure decisions under a single organization.
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Shelter Island Heights, New York, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 421 people. 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 Shelter Island Heights: B (83/100)
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
Shelter Island Heights water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0013 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11965 | B | West Neck Water District | 100 |
All ZIP Codes in Shelter Island Heights
- 11965 [B]
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.
Health Outcomes in Shelter Island Heights
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
Housing & Infrastructure in Shelter Island Heights
With 71% 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 a city's housing median build year is 1979, as in Shelter Island Heights, the implication for water quality research is straightforward: municipal-level data captures what leaves the treatment plant, but household plumbing from before 1986 determines what actually arrives at the tap. In cities where older housing predominates, that gap between system-level and household-level data is widest.
Over half of homes in Shelter Island Heights 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.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Shelter Island Heights Homeowners
Across Shelter Island Heights, the equity share taken up by estimated remediation is small - a favorable ratio for most property owners.
Remediation costs in Shelter Island Heights are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,200–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 202% above the New York average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Shelter Island Heights
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.
Routinely in Shelter Island Heights, where 71% of housing predates the solder ban and aggregate utility readings hover near the federal threshold, a faucet-level draw functions as a standard household step for families with small kids.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Shelter Island Heights
Historical NFIP data for Shelter Island Heights contains 29 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $8,794. 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>$1,800</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 Shelter Island Heights, NY