Berea, OH: 3 Violations — 79/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Public water monitoring in Berea shows a safety record well above the OH median — health-based violations are isolated exceptions rather than recurring patterns, the city's systems have stayed compliant across recent reporting cycles, and no cluster of recurring exceedances appears in any single service area.
How Berea Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Key Facts for Berea Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 3 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.002 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 83% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.6 — above typical levels.
Berea's Water Providers
Water service in Berea, OH is split across 2 utilities out of 2 tracked federally, each operating its own infrastructure and compliance record.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Berea, Ohio (population ~18,378), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 1,327,744 people region-wide.
1 of 1 ZIP code (100%) have recorded EPA violations. All violations are monitoring/reporting type.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Berea: B (79/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Berea water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0020 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44017 | B | 3 | 0 | Berea City Public Water System |
All ZIP Codes in Berea
- 44017 [B] — 3 violations
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
Updated daily.
Berea Community Health Snapshot
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
What's in Berea's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Berea Infrastructure Age
With 83% 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
Two dates define the high-risk tiers of residential plumbing from a lead standpoint: 1970, before which lead pipes were commonly installed for service connections, and 1986, before which lead solder was standard in copper plumbing. A median build year of 1950 places Berea's housing distribution well within that older risk zone. The bar chart above breaks down how much of the stock falls into each era — and the pre-1986 share alone represents more than half the residential inventory, making plumbing-era risk a defining characteristic of the local water safety picture.
Over half of homes in Berea 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Berea
Given current Berea property values, the remediation share falls in the moderate tier — an indicator that the household financial perspective here calls for advance planning rather than dismissal, with most homeowners positioned to address documented issues through deliberate budgeting rather than needing to treat remediation as a significant equity event or financial emergency.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Berea. The estimated $1,200–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 2% above the Ohio average.
Berea: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
Wherever 83% of local housing was built before solder rules changed — as is the case in Berea — a faucet-level sample closes the gap that aggregate utility data cannot.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Berea: Flood History & Water Damage Risk
Taken together, Berea's 10 NFIP flood insurance claims and 100% FEMA flood zone coverage place it in the moderate range of exposure. That middle position has specific implications for water quality. The contamination pathways that flooding can open — surface water overwhelming treatment facility intake, floodwaters infiltrating private wells, distribution pressure changes creating backflow — are not constant risks in a moderate-exposure community. But they do become active during significant flood events, and the claim record here indicates enough of those events to make flood timing an occasional factor in local water quality conversations.
Berea has a moderate flood history with 10 FEMA claims averaging $26,450 per payout. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$2,200</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Berea, OH