Salem, OR: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 94/100
13 ZIP codes · 16 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Salem: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Across Salem, EPA monitoring data shows low violation rates and healthy safety margins - a pattern that places the city well above OR's average for drinking water compliance across recent reporting cycles.
How Salem Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Water Quality Map: Salem, OR
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Distribution of Home Safety grades across Salem.
Salem Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 219 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0037 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $1,177 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.36 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Salem
Federal records list 16 water systems tied to Salem, OR. Of those, 3 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 13 ZIP codes in Salem, Oregon, covering 16 community water systems serving approximately 279,480 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 8 of 13 ZIP codes.
8 of 8 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 10 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Salem: A (94/100)
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
Salem water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0037 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 8 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 13 ZIP codes
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 42 | 8 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 23 | 5 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 19 | 6 |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 19 | 3 |
| Contaminant 2040 | Other | 15 | 3 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 97304 | — | 96 | 4 | Salem Public Works |
| 97301 | B | 72 | 2 | Salem Public Works |
| 97317 | A | 39 | 3 | Salem Public Works |
| 97305 | A | 17 | 1 | Salem Public Works |
| 97302 | A | 12 | 2 | Salem Public Works |
| 97306 | A | 5 | 0 | Salem Public Works |
| 97303 | A | 3 | 0 | City of Keizer, |
| 97310 | A | 1 | 0 | Salem Public Works |
All ZIP Codes in Salem
- 97301 [B] - 72 violations ⚠
- 97302 [A] - 12 violations ⚠
- 97303 [A] - 3 violations
- 97304 - 96 violations ⚠
- 97305 [A] - 17 violations ⚠
- 97306 [A] - 5 violations
- 97308
- 97309
- 97310 [A] - 1 violation
- 97311
- 97312
- 97314
- 97317 [A] - 39 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 Salem
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 Salem
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Salem: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Across Salem, the equity share taken up by estimated remediation is small - a favorable ratio for most property owners.
Remediation costs in Salem are relatively low compared to home values. The $515–$1,969 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 2% below the Oregon average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Salem
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.
Lead risk in Salem appears low overall, but individual homes may differ. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Salem
Historical NFIP data for Salem contains 297 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $19,127. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 50% 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>$1,177</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 Salem, OR