Carlisle, PA: Lead Above EPA Action Level - Home Safety 33/100
2 ZIP codes · 7 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Carlisle: F.
Lowest grade in federal records; check your home directly.
Your top priority: see the breakdown below and consider a certified water filter. NSF certified filters →
Within Carlisle, PA, the grade lands in the lower tier; residents whose system has violations on record may want independent testing.
How Carlisle Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Carlisle Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 118 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0321 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: 62% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,300 per household.
Carlisle's Water Providers
3 systems shown for Carlisle, PA, from 7 on the federal list.
- F
- F
- F
Overview
We track home safety data for 2 ZIP codes in Carlisle, Pennsylvania (population ~61,978), covering 7 community water systems serving approximately 99,651 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 2 ZIP codes.
2 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Carlisle: F (33/100)
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
Carlisle water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0321 mg/L (exceeds EPA action level) (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 1 of 2 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
2 of 2 ZIP records with known zones are 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 29 | 2 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 29 | 2 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Reporting | 17 | 2 |
| Public Notice Rule | Reporting | 16 | 2 |
| Groundwater Rule | Treatment Technique | 15 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17015 | F | 85 | 3 | South Middleton Twp Water Authority |
| 17013 | F | 64 | 1 | Carlisle Water Trmt Plt |
All ZIP Codes in Carlisle
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 Carlisle's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Carlisle Infrastructure Age
With 62% 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
Pre-1986 homes make up a large part of Carlisle's housing; median build year 1973.
Over half of homes in Carlisle 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Carlisle
Home prices in Carlisle and the estimated cost of addressing flagged issues produce a ratio in the 1-2% band; that places the city between the low and elevated tiers, and because both inputs are area estimates, the actual cost for a given home may be higher or lower.
Estimated remediation costs in Carlisle can be compared with local home values. The estimated $2,125–$4,850 range is a planning estimate; get a property-specific quote and check it against your budget. Home values are 32% above the Pennsylvania average.
Carlisle: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
Several steps are open to Carlisle households. Area lead results, averaged by ZIP code, run higher than 0.015 mg/L, while 62% of homes date from before 1986. A certified laboratory test measures lead at the tap, the utility's service line inventory shows how a home's line is classified, and a filter certified to NSF/ANSI 53 for lead reduction can be used for drinking and cooking water while results are pending.
1 ZIP code (50% 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.
Carlisle: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Carlisle contains 134 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $10,059. 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 $3,300 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 Carlisle
- 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 Haloacetic Acids (HAA5), listed in the water-quality records for Carlisle: 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 62% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. If you use a community water system, request its annual Consumer Confidence Report for system-level test results or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Carlisle, PA