Mount Carmel, PA: High Radon Risk — 40/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Mount Carmel, PA water systems: poor compliance record, lower-tier safety grade.
How Mount Carmel Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
What You Should Know About Mount Carmel Water
- Homes built before 1986: 92% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Mount Carmel
Federal drinking water records identify 2 systems in Mount Carmel, PA. The leading 2 providers serve the largest share of residential connections, each operating as a separate entity with its own rate authority, infrastructure management, and EPA compliance obligations — so service conditions are not uniform city-wide.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Mount Carmel, Pennsylvania (population ~7,174), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 47,200 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Mount Carmel — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Mount Carmel: D (40/100)
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
Mount Carmel water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Mount Carmel
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17851 | D | AQUA PA ROARING CREEK DIVISION | 43,000 |
All ZIP Codes in Mount Carmel
- 17851 [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 Mount Carmel
With 92% 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
Mount Carmel's housing stock is predominantly older, with a median build year of 1901 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 Mount Carmel 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 Mount Carmel Homeowners
Elevated equity share — Mount Carmel sits in the high tier when estimated remediation is measured against property values.
At 3.3% of home value, remediation costs in Mount Carmel represent a significant financial burden. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $1,600–$3,300. Home values here are 66% below the Pennsylvania average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Mount Carmel
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.
Before the federal solder ban, lead solder was a routine plumbing material, and 92% of the Mount Carmel inventory was built in that earlier era — a share large enough to move household-level reads onto the standard list.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Mount Carmel
Flood activity in Mount Carmel is neither negligible nor at the level of the highest-exposure areas in the NFIP dataset. The 56-claim record and 100% flood zone coverage suggest a community that has experienced recurrent events but has not faced the kind of sustained, severe exposure where water-supply contamination becomes a primary public health concern. It sits in a middle range where flood history merits inclusion in any complete local water quality picture.
Mount Carmel has a moderate flood history with 56 FEMA claims averaging $13,116 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 Mount Carmel
- 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 92% 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 Mount Carmel, PA