Blue Ridge Summit, PA: 48 Violations - Home Safety 51/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Blue Ridge Summit: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
Unlike better-scoring cities in PA, Blue Ridge Summit records health-based violations across a meaningful portion of its service areas - the overall safety grade is well below average.
How Blue Ridge Summit Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Blue Ridge Summit Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 48 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.006 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 87% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,700 per household.
Blue Ridge Summit's Water Providers
Throughout Blue Ridge Summit, PA, water comes from one of 3 primary utilities out of 3 total systems - independent providers with different rate structures, infrastructure, and compliance records that vary across the service territory.
- D
- D
- D
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania (population ~1,162), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 20,414 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 Blue Ridge Summit: D (51/100)
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
Blue Ridge Summit water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0060 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 16 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 6 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17214 | D | 48 | 0 | Washington Twp Muni Authority |
All ZIP Codes in Blue Ridge Summit
- 17214 [D] - 48 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.
What's in Blue Ridge Summit's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Blue Ridge Summit Infrastructure Age
With 87% 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
The character of Blue Ridge Summit's housing stock is one of deep historical layering - a median build year of 1950 signals a city built largely before the plumbing era changes of 1986 and 1970. Lead-soldered copper joints and, in the oldest properties, lead service lines are commonly present in this inventory. That context shapes what individual water testing may reveal, particularly in neighborhoods where the oldest housing is concentrated.
Over half of homes in Blue Ridge Summit 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Blue Ridge Summit
At current valuations, Blue Ridge Summit sits in the low remediation-share tier - the equity impact of fixing documented issues is proportionally minor.
Remediation costs in Blue Ridge Summit are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,750–$3,900 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 37% above the Pennsylvania average.
Blue Ridge Summit: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Blue Ridge Summit have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 87% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Blue Ridge Summit: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Blue Ridge Summit contains 2 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $3,880.
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>$2,700</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 Blue Ridge Summit
- 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. Filters rated for Chlorite can reduce the most common contaminant found in Blue Ridge Summit's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 87% 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 Blue Ridge Summit, PA