Rural Valley, PA - Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Rural Valley Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 8 violations in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 77% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Rural Valley
For most households in Rural Valley, PA, tap water comes from one provider - the utility that controls the local distribution system out of 1 tracked in federal record.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Rural Valley, Pennsylvania, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 1,757 people. 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
Rural Valley water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Rural Valley
- Lead action-level status: not available
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
| Radium-226 | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16249 | — | 8 | 0 | Rural Valley Water Works |
All ZIP Codes in Rural Valley
- 16249 - 8 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.
Top Contaminants in Rural Valley Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Rural Valley
With 77% 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 Rural Valley - median build year 1965 - 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 Rural Valley 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 Rural Valley Homeowners
For most Rural Valley homeowners, estimated remediation represents a moderate equity share - manageable with planning.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Rural Valley. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 27% below the Pennsylvania average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Rural Valley
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 77% of the Rural Valley 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.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Rural Valley
Historical NFIP data for Rural Valley contains 3 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $3,137. 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>$2,400</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 Rural Valley, PA