Middletown, PA: 10 Violations — 44/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
A meaningful share of water systems in Middletown have recorded health-based violations in recent PA monitoring periods — placing the city in the lower tier for tap water safety.
How Middletown Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Middletown Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 10 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.003 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 72% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,600 per household.
Water Systems Serving Middletown
Residential addresses in Middletown, PA are served by 3 primary water providers out of 5 systems in federal records. Each system maintains separate infrastructure and files its own EPA compliance reports, so service conditions are not uniform across the city.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Middletown, Pennsylvania (population ~23,143), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 169,876 people region-wide.
1 of 1 ZIP code (100%) have recorded EPA violations. All violations are monitoring/reporting type.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Middletown: D (44/100)
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
Middletown water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0030 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 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.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 8 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 4 | 1 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 4 | 1 |
| Copper | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17057 | D | 10 | 0 | Veolia Middletown |
All ZIP Codes in Middletown
- 17057 [D] — 10 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
Updated daily.
Key Contaminants Detected in Middletown
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Middletown's Housing Stock?
With 72% 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
Middletown's housing stock is predominantly older, with a median build year of 1976 that reflects decades of construction before federal plumbing standards were tightened. The 1986 ban on lead solder and the pre-1970 era of lead service lines are both relevant benchmarks here — a significant share of the residential inventory predates one or both of those cutoffs, creating an elevated baseline for plumbing-related lead risk that aggregate water quality data may not fully reflect at the household level.
Over half of homes in Middletown 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.
Middletown: Remediation Cost in Perspective
For most Middletown homeowners, estimated remediation represents a moderate equity share — manageable with planning.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Middletown. The estimated $2,400–$4,800 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 12% below the Pennsylvania average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Middletown
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.
72% of Middletown housing dates to the pre-rule era, alongside aggregate readings hovering at the federal action mark — household-level confirmation through a draw-test kit fits the local picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Middletown
Because Middletown's NFIP claim count reaches 918 and 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA-designated flood zones, flood exposure here operates differently than it does in lower-claim communities. In areas with isolated flood events, water-quality infrastructure can typically absorb the stress and recover between events. In communities with repeated high-volume flooding, treatment plants face recurring overload conditions, private wells in FEMA-designated zones accumulate repeated infiltration episodes, and distribution systems experience repeated pressure events that can drive backflow. The claim record for this area points to that second category: a flood environment where water infrastructure stress is periodic and documented, not theoretical.
Middletown has a significant flood history with 918 FEMA flood insurance claims on record, averaging $24,142 per claim. With 100% of ZIP codes in FEMA-designated flood zones, flood risk is a major concern for homeowners and water quality.
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>$3,600</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 Middletown
- 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 Contaminant 0700 can reduce the most common contaminant found in Middletown's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 72% 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 Middletown, PA