Fairborn, OH: Lead Above EPA Limits - Home Safety 62/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Fairborn: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Although much of Fairborn meets baseline drinking water standards, some OH-tracked service areas show violations that merit a closer look - particularly for older housing stock.
How Fairborn Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Fairborn Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 6 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.47 mg/L - exceeds the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 67% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.87 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Fairborn
Water service in Fairborn, OH is split across 3 utilities out of 5 tracked federally, each operating its own infrastructure and compliance record.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Fairborn, Ohio (population ~41,273), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 125,377 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Fairborn: C (62/100)
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
Fairborn water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.4700 mg/L (exceeds EPA action level) (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 1 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.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 8 | 1 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45324 | C | 6 | 0 | Fairborn Public Water System |
All ZIP Codes in Fairborn
- 45324 [C] - 6 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
Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.
CDC Health Data for Fairborn
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 Fairborn
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Fairborn's Housing Stock?
With 67% 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 1977 places Fairborn'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 Fairborn 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.
Fairborn: Remediation Cost in Perspective
In Fairborn, the equity share of documented remediation is meaningful enough to move the household financial perspective from routine maintenance into deliberate budgeting territory - the cost-to-value ratio is moderate, and most homeowners benefit from mapping the full scope against available budgets before committing.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Fairborn. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 3% below the Ohio average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Fairborn
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 for Fairborn, the pre-rule housing share runs at 67%, and citywide utility monitoring has moved past the federal action mark. The high pre-1986 share combined with system samples crossing threshold places lead among the higher-priority household water concerns. Families with kids or pregnant residents can find a draw-test kit and certified filter via retailer-verified channels, with periodic retesting capturing changes after plumbing work or extended stagnation.
<strong>1 ZIP code</strong> (100% of the city) exceeds the EPA lead action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Fairborn
Historical NFIP data for Fairborn contains 30 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $5,446. 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.
What You Can Do in Fairborn
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Lead testing is especially recommended given the area's lead levels.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Surface Water Treatment Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Fairborn's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 67% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Fairborn, OH