Middletown, PA: 5 Violations - Home Safety 49/100
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Middletown: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
Your top priority: see the breakdown below and consider a certified water filter. NSF certified filters →
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
Middletown Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 5 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 4 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.
- D
- D
- D
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Middletown, Pennsylvania (population ~23,143), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 170,883 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 Middletown: D (49/100)
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
Middletown water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0030 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 4 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 2 | 1 |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17057 | D | 5 | 0 | Veolia Middletown |
All ZIP Codes in Middletown
- 17057 [D] - 5 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.
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.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Middletown
Historical NFIP data for Middletown contains 918 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $27,631. 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 <strong>$3,600</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 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 Consumer Confidence Report Rule 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