Bear Creek, PA: High Radon Risk — 53/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated 2026-06-03
Monitoring data across Bear Creek reveals a persistent pattern of below-average compliance in PA — multiple service areas carry documented health violations, and the data has shown little overall improvement over recent EPA reporting cycles.
How Bear Creek Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Bear Creek Water: The Quick Version
- Homes built before 1986: 73% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,000 per household.
Water Systems Serving Bear Creek
The structure of water supply in Bear Creek, PA is straightforward: one utility provides the bulk of residential service among 1 tracked system, concentrating rate-setting and infrastructure decisions under a single organization.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Bear Creek, Pennsylvania (population ~356), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 134,570 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Bear Creek — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Bear Creek: D (53/100)
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
Bear Creek water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Bear Creek
- 0 ZIP codes 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.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18602 | D | PA AMER WATER CO LAKE SCRANTON | 134,570 |
All ZIP Codes in Bear Creek
- 18602 [D]
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.
How Old Is Bear Creek's Housing Stock?
With 73% 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
Lead solder was standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Bear Creek's median build year of 1976 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature — not a rare legacy — of the residential plumbing landscape.
Over half of homes in Bear Creek 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.
Bear Creek: Remediation Cost in Perspective
At current valuations, Bear Creek sits in the low remediation-share tier — the equity impact of fixing documented issues is proportionally minor.
Remediation costs in Bear Creek are relatively low compared to home values. The $2,000–$4,000 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 71% above the Pennsylvania average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Bear Creek
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.
Even where utility-side monitoring meets Lead and Copper Rule requirements, the 73% pre-rule share in Bear Creek keeps interior-plumbing variation as a household-level question that aggregate data cannot resolve.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Bear Creek
The National Flood Insurance Program captures decades of claims at the local level, building a record of cumulative community flood exposure. For Bear Creek, that record documents 7 claims and 100% of ZIP codes inside FEMA-designated flood zones. What makes those numbers relevant to water quality is the set of mechanisms flooding activates: heavy precipitation that floods treatment intake zones can introduce contaminants upstream of normal filtration; well casings in low-lying areas can be infiltrated by floodwaters carrying bacteria, sediment, and chemical residue; and distribution system pressure changes during flooding can create backflow conditions. These effects become more probable as flood frequency and magnitude increase — and the NFIP record indicates both are meaningful factors locally.
Bear Creek has a moderate flood history with 7 FEMA claims averaging $34,063 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>$3,000</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.
What You Can Do in Bear Creek
- 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.
- Install a certified water filter. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 73% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- 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 Bear Creek, PA