New Salem, PA: 22 Violations - Home Safety 76/100
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for New Salem: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Water utilities in New Salem have maintained a consistent compliance record over recent monitoring periods - the city's above-average grade in PA reflects low violation rates and no systemic health concerns flagged in current data.
How New Salem Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
New Salem Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 22 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0022 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 92% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $400 per household.
Water Systems Serving New Salem
New Salem, PA is covered by 3 major water utilities out of 4 federally tracked systems, each managing its own pipes, treatment processes, and EPA filings. What a household gets from the tap depends on which provider's system serves that address.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in New Salem, Pennsylvania (population ~2,230), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 106,578 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 New Salem: B (76/100)
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
New Salem water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0022 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 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 20 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
| Benzene | Organic | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15468 | B | 22 | 0 | Southwestern Pa Water Authority |
All ZIP Codes in New Salem
- 15468 [B] - 22 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 New Salem
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is New Salem's Housing Stock?
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
Heavily weighted toward older construction, New Salem's housing stock carries a median build year of 1901. That profile puts a majority of homes in the era when lead-soldered copper plumbing was standard practice.
Over half of homes in New Salem 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.
New Salem: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Equity impact data for New Salem lands in the favorable tier - remediation claims a small slice of what properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in New Salem are relatively low compared to home values. The $0–$800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 58% below the Pennsylvania average.
Protecting Children from Lead in New Salem
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.
When older housing represents 92% of the local inventory or aggregate readings approach the federal action level, an in-home check becomes the standard way to translate citywide averages into the specific reality of an individual New Salem address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for New Salem, PA