Fairborn, OH: Lead Above EPA Action Level - 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.
Fairborn lands in the middle of the grade scale in OH; EPA records can differ from one service area to the next.
How Fairborn Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Fairborn Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 6 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.47 mg/L. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L applies to each water system's own 90th percentile, not to this average.
- Homes built before 1986: 67% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $4,020 per household.
- Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 12.87.
Water Systems Serving Fairborn
Sorted by reported population served, the top 3 of 5 public water systems mapped to Fairborn, OH appear below, each with its own federal 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 of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 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
1 of 1 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 1.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Reporting | 8 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 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). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.
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. Federal law banned lead solder in drinking-water plumbing in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
If you live in one of the pre-1986 homes in Fairborn, a certified lab test for lead is the direct way to learn what your tap delivers; the median build year of 1977 is only context.
Over half of homes in Fairborn were built before 1986, when federal law began restricting lead solder in drinking-water plumbing. 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
Elevated tier for Fairborn: remediation above 2% of home value.
Estimated remediation costs in Fairborn equal about 2.3% of the median home value; how much that burdens a household depends on its finances. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $2,680–$5,360. Home values here are 3% below the Ohio average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Fairborn
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
No safe blood lead level in children has been identified, CDC says. In Fairborn, the mean across ZIP codes of what water systems reported as their 90th-percentile lead results sits above 0.015 mg/L, and 67% of homes were built before 1986. A test of the tap a child drinks from shows the level in that home.
1 ZIP code (100% of the city's ZIP records) is served by a water system whose 90th-percentile lead result exceeds the EPA 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 $4,020 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. Consider testing your home's tap water for lead, since household plumbing can affect its level.
- Install a certified water filter. For Consumer Confidence Rule, listed in the water-quality records for Fairborn: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
- 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