Penfield, PA: 168 Violations - Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
Penfield Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 168 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0437 mg/L - exceeds the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 75% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $6,900 per household.
Water Systems Serving Penfield
Penfield, PA draws its residential water from 3 separate providers among the 4 federally tracked systems. Each operates independently, with its own infrastructure, rate structure, and compliance record.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Penfield, Pennsylvania (population ~1,285), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 7,480 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.
Water Sources
Penfield water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0437 mg/L (exceeds EPA action level) (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 1 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 40 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 16 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 12 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 10 | 1 |
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 10 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15849 | — | 168 | 0 | Pike Twp Municipal Authority |
All ZIP Codes in Penfield
- 15849 - 168 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 Penfield
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Penfield's Housing Stock?
With 75% 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
Reading the housing age data for Penfield - median build year 1964 - the overriding implication is that the plumbing materials inside a typical home here reflect pre-1986 construction standards. In practical terms, that means lead-soldered copper joints are common across much of the housing stock. Where those materials are present, water can leach lead as it moves through joints - a pathway that corrosion control treatment under federal rules is designed to reduce, though it cannot eliminate lead risk where the plumbing materials themselves contain lead.
Over half of homes in Penfield 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.
Penfield: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Looking at how documented remediation costs fit within Penfield's property market, the equity share lands in the elevated tier - a result that positions the household financial perspective as one requiring structured preparation, where mapping costs against household budget, documenting scope early, and sequencing by urgency are the practical tools that distinguish manageable outcomes from financially disruptive ones.
At 6.5% of home value, remediation costs in Penfield represent a significant financial burden. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $4,600–$9,300. Home values here are 50% below the Pennsylvania average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Penfield
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.
75% - that captures the slice of Penfield housing built before the federal ban on solder containing lead. Aggregate utility samples have also moved past the action threshold, meaning the system-level data and the housing-inventory data point the same direction. Households with kids or pregnant residents face a practical question that only a faucet sample can answer for one specific address, with certified filter options through retailer networks available where confirmed results warrant it.
<strong>1 ZIP code</strong> (100% of the city) exceeds the EPA lead action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Penfield
Historical NFIP data for Penfield contains 18 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $12,292. 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>$6,900</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Penfield, PA