CITY REPORT OR

Klamath Falls, OR: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 50/100

3 ZIP codes · 3 water systems · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Klamath Falls: D.

Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.

Across Klamath Falls, EPA compliance records fall well below OR averages - documented health-based violations affect multiple service areas, and the city's sustained low grade reflects a persistent pattern across reporting cycles.

How Klamath Falls Compares

Klamath Falls50/100
Oregon avg85/100
National avg73/100

Data: EPA SDWIS

3
ZIP Codes
3
Water Systems
2
ZIPs with Violations
D · 50
Avg Safety Score
Zone 2
Radon Risk (Moderate)
$267K
Median Home Value
$1,500
Est. Remediation (0.6% of home value)

Klamath Falls Water: The Quick Version

  • Your city's water systems recorded 204 violations in the past 5 years.
  • Average lead level: 0.0008 mg/L.
  • Homes built before 1986: 70% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
  • Estimated remediation: $1,500 per household.
  • CDC health risk index: 14.95 - above typical levels.

Water Systems Serving Klamath Falls

Klamath Falls, OR is covered by 3 major water utilities out of 3 federally tracked systems, each managing its own pipes, treatment processes, and EPA filings. What a household gets from the tap depends on which provider's system serves that address.

Overview

We track home safety data for 3 ZIP codes in Klamath Falls, Oregon, covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 54,963 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 3 ZIP codes.

2 of 2 ZIP codes 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 Klamath Falls: D (50/100)

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

Klamath Falls water systems draw from: Groundwater.

Lead & Copper

  • Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0008 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
  • 0 of 2 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level

Radon Risk

Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)

  • Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
  • Zone 2 (Moderate): 3 ZIP codes
  • Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes

The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.

Top Contaminants

Contaminant Category Violations ZIPs Affected
Contaminant 2005 Other 18 2
Contaminant 2010 Other 18 2
Contaminant 2015 Other 18 2
Contaminant 2020 Other 18 2
Contaminant 2031 Other 18 2

Areas with Most Violations

ZIP Code Safety Score Violations Health-Based System
97603 D 203 0 Klamath Falls Water Department
97601 D 200 0 Klamath Falls Water Department

All ZIP Codes in Klamath Falls

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

CDC Health Data for Klamath Falls

12.5%
Asthma (US: 9.8%)
14.1%
Diabetes (US: 10.4%)
18.7%
Poor Mental Health (US: 14.8%)

Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.

Compared to National Average

Asthma 12.5% ↑
Diabetes 14.1% ↑
Mental Health 18.7% ↑

Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national

Key Contaminants Detected in Klamath Falls

Contaminant 2005 18 violations
Other
Contaminant 2010 18 violations
Other
Contaminant 2015 18 violations
Other

Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.

How Old Is Klamath Falls's Housing Stock?

1969
Median Build Year
70%
Built Before 1986
37%
Built Before 1970
Galvanized Steel or Copper
Likely Pipe Material

With 70% 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

Heavily weighted toward older construction, Klamath Falls's housing stock carries a median build year of 1969. That profile puts a majority of homes in the era when lead-soldered copper plumbing was standard practice.

1969
Median Year Built
70%
Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)
37%
Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)
Pre-1970 (37%) 1970–1986 (33%) Post-1986 (30%)

Over half of homes in Klamath Falls 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.

Klamath Falls: Remediation Cost in Perspective

Because property values in Klamath Falls comfortably exceed estimated remediation costs, the equity impact here is proportionally small.

Median Home Value
$266,500
Est. Remediation
$1,500
Remediation as % of home value 0.6%

Remediation costs in Klamath Falls are relatively low compared to home values. The $683–$2,533 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 34% below the Oregon average.

Protecting Children from Lead in Klamath Falls

70%
Homes Built Before 1986
0.0008
mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

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.

When older housing represents 70% of the local inventory or aggregate readings approach the federal action level, an in-home check becomes the standard way to translate citywide averages into the specific reality of an individual Klamath Falls address.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.

Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Klamath Falls

1
Total FEMA Flood Claims
$7,070
Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data
100%
A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Klamath Falls contains 1 flood insurance claim. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $7,070. 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>$1,500</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 Klamath Falls

  1. Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
  2. Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Contaminant 2005 can reduce the most common contaminant found in Klamath Falls's water.
  3. Check your home's plumbing. With 70% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
  4. Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Klamath Falls, OR

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Home Safety Score mean for Klamath Falls, OR?
Klamath Falls has an average Home Safety Score of 50/100 (Grade D) under model 4.0.0. The score combines EPA SDWIS identity plus accepted ECHO SDWA lifecycle-based water compliance, the PFAS MCL screen, EPA radon zone, and annual EPA AQI, and is published only when all required domains are observed. 204 EPA violations have been recorded. Check individual ZIP code reports for component details.
How many water violations does Klamath Falls have?
Klamath Falls water systems have a total of 204 EPA violations. Violations are tracked across 3 ZIP codes.
Does Klamath Falls water have lead?
The average 90th-percentile lead level in Klamath Falls is 0.0008 mg/L. This is below the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L. Lead levels can vary by home - testing is recommended especially in older properties.
How does Klamath Falls compare to Oregon average?
Klamath Falls has an average Home Safety Score of 50/100, which is below the Oregon state average of 85/100 for the same model series.
How many water systems serve Klamath Falls?
Klamath Falls is served by 3 public water systems across 3 ZIP codes, serving approximately 54,963 people.
How much does it cost to fix water issues in Klamath Falls?
Estimated remediation costs in Klamath Falls average $1,500 per household, ranging from $683 to $2,533. Costs include filtration, pipe replacement, radon mitigation, and flood protection.
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How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Klamath Falls, OR: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 50/100. https://zipcheckup.com/cities/or/klamath-falls/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-cities-or-klamath-falls,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Klamath Falls, OR: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 50/100}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/cities/or/klamath-falls/}
}

Page version: August 2026.

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