Whitesboro, NY: High Radon Risk - Home Safety 83/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Whitesboro: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Based on current monitoring, Whitesboro holds an above-average drinking water safety record for NY - violations are infrequent and typically minor when they do appear.
How Whitesboro Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Whitesboro Water: The Quick Version
- Average lead level: 0.012 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 87% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.51 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Whitesboro
The structure of water supply in Whitesboro, 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 Whitesboro, New York (population ~11,233), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 126,250 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 Whitesboro: 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
Whitesboro water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0120 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13492 | B | Mvwa - Mohawk Valley Water Authority | 126,250 |
All ZIP Codes in Whitesboro
- 13492 [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.
CDC Health Data for Whitesboro
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 Whitesboro's Housing Stock?
With 87% 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
Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Whitesboro's median build year of 1953 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature - not a rare legacy - of the residential plumbing landscape.
Over half of homes in Whitesboro 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.
Whitesboro: Remediation Cost in Perspective
The equity-to-remediation ratio in Whitesboro is moderate - worth planning for but within reach for most property owners.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Whitesboro. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 47% below the New York average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Whitesboro
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 87% pre-rule share in Whitesboro 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 Whitesboro
Historical NFIP data for Whitesboro contains 459 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $16,943. 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 Whitesboro, NY