South Ozone Park, NY: High Radon Risk - Home Safety 100/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for South Ozone Park: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Compared to statewide averages in NY, South Ozone Park scores well - health violations are below the norm and systems generally operate within federal standards.
How South Ozone Park Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About South Ozone Park Water
- Average lead level: 0.01 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 88% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.03.
Who Supplies Your Water in South Ozone Park
Federal records list 1 water system serving South Ozone Park, NY. One provider accounts for the large majority of residential water connections in the area, concentrating infrastructure and compliance accountability.
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in South Ozone Park, New York (population ~50,060), 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 South Ozone 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
South Ozone 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11420 | A | New York City System | 8,271,000 |
All ZIP Codes in South Ozone Park
- 11420 [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.
Health Outcomes in South Ozone 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
Housing & Infrastructure in South Ozone Park
With 88% 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
Housing age is one of the most reliable proxies for plumbing-era lead risk, because two federal milestones - the widespread use of lead pipes before 1970 and the continued use of lead solder until 1986 - define the highest-risk tiers of the residential housing stock. With a median build year of 1945, South Ozone Park falls squarely within the older range - meaning a large fraction of the housing was built under the plumbing standards of those earlier eras. The distribution above captures where that risk concentrates, and why older neighborhoods warrant particular attention from residents concerned about tap water quality.
Over half of homes in South Ozone 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.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for South Ozone Park Homeowners
In South Ozone Park, the equity impact of remediation is proportionally small - not the kind of financial commitment that rises to the level of a genuine planning constraint, but a minor share of what most properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in South Ozone Park are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,600–$3,300 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 86% above the New York average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in South Ozone 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.
Despite citywide averages serving as the standard public reference point, those aggregates cannot resolve what is happening at one specific faucet - and where 88% of South Ozone Park homes come from before the solder rule or where utility samples sit at or above the action mark, the gap between system data and faucet reality matters more than it does in lower-exposure communities. An in-home draw closes that gap, with certified filtration through retailer networks available where confirmed faucet results warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in South Ozone Park
Historical NFIP data for South Ozone Park contains 113 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $4,980. 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>$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 South Ozone Park, NY