Richboro, PA: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 33/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Richboro: F.
Federal data flags serious home-safety risks for this ZIP.
Your top priority: see the breakdown below and consider a certified water filter. NSF certified filters →
Water systems serving Richboro record elevated violation rates against PA benchmarks - residents in affected areas may want to check their local system's current compliance status.
How Richboro Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Richboro Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 107 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 63% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,000 per household.
Richboro's Water Providers
Federal drinking water records identify 1 system operating in Richboro, PA. One of those systems serves the overwhelming majority of residential addresses, concentrating infrastructure management, rate authority, and EPA compliance reporting within a single organization.
- F
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Richboro, Pennsylvania (population ~10,864), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 36,750 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 Richboro: F (33/100)
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
Richboro water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 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 | 8 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2005 | Other | 4 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2010 | Other | 4 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2015 | Other | 4 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2020 | Other | 4 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18954 | F | 107 | 0 | Northampton Bucks Company Mun Authority |
All ZIP Codes in Richboro
- 18954 [F] - 107 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.
What's in Richboro's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Richboro Infrastructure Age
With 63% 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
When a city's housing median build year is 1971, as in Richboro, the implication for water quality research is straightforward: municipal-level data captures what leaves the treatment plant, but household plumbing from before 1986 determines what actually arrives at the tap. In cities where older housing predominates, that gap between system-level and household-level data is widest.
Over half of homes in Richboro 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Richboro
In Richboro, the equity impact of remediation is proportionally small - not the kind of financial commitment that rises to the level of a genuine planning constraint, but a minor share of what most properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in Richboro are relatively low compared to home values. The $2,000–$4,100 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 174% above the Pennsylvania average.
Richboro: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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 63% 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 Richboro address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Richboro: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Richboro contains 62 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $17,905. 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>$3,000</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 Richboro
- 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 Richboro's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 63% 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 Richboro, PA