Karns City, PA: High Radon Risk — 53/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated 2026-06-04
Karns City, PA water systems: poor compliance record, lower-tier safety grade.
How Karns City Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-04
What You Should Know About Karns City Water
- Homes built before 1986: 68% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Karns City
2 independent water providers serve Karns City, PA — 2 systems appear in federal records.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Karns City, Pennsylvania (population ~1,865), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 4,700 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Karns City — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Karns City: 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
Karns City water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Karns City
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16041 | D | Parker Area Water Authority | 900 |
All ZIP Codes in Karns City
- 16041 [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.
Housing & Infrastructure in Karns City
With 68% 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. Karns City's median build year of 1978 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 Karns City 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.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Karns City Homeowners
The equity impact of remediation in Karns City sits at a moderate level — real enough to plan for, within reach for most.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Karns City. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 30% below the Pennsylvania average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Karns City
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 68% pre-rule share in Karns City 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.
Flood & Climate Risk in Karns City
The National Flood Insurance Program captures decades of claims at the local level, building a record of cumulative community flood exposure. For Karns City, that record documents 9 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.
Karns City has a moderate flood history with 9 FEMA claims averaging $9,317 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>$2,400</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 Karns City
- 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 68% 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 Karns City, PA