Drilling into federal monitoring figures for Scottdale in PA, the pattern is middle-of-the-road - some utilities have documented MCL exceedances or treatment technique violations in recent years, while others have operated without a single flag, making the city's grade a genuine average rather than a rounded-down high.

Data: EPA SDWIS

Overview

We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Scottdale, Pennsylvania (population ~7,855), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 168,409 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. 2 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.

Home Safety Score

Average Home Safety Score for Scottdale: C (60/100)

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

Scottdale 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

Areas with Most Violations

All ZIP Codes in Scottdale

• 15683 [C] - 20 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.

Housing Age Profile

For residents trying to assess tap water risk in Scottdale, the median build year of 1951 is the starting context. It signals that a majority of homes were constructed before 1986 - the year federal rules prohibited lead solder in new plumbing - and that a significant share likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still a common choice for residential service connections. Neither risk tier is rare in this housing inventory.

1951

Median Year Built

82%

Pre-1986 (Lead Paint Risk)

52%

Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)

Pre-1970 (52%) 1970–1986 (30%) Post-1986 (18%)

Over half of homes in Scottdale 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 Scottdale Homeowners

At current valuations, Scottdale falls in the moderate remediation-share tier - a level where treating this as a budgeted line item rather than an ad-hoc expense is the practical approach.

Median Home Value

$136,400

Est. Remediation

$1,600

Remediation as % of home value 1.2%

Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Scottdale. The estimated $800–$2,600 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 36% below the Pennsylvania average.

Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Scottdale

82%

Homes Built Before 1986

0.0022

mg/L Avg Lead (Limit: 0.015)

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 82% of the Scottdale 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 Scottdale

39

Total FEMA Flood Claims

$1,858

Avg Reported Sum With Payment Data

100%

A/V Share of Claim-Record ZIPs

Historical NFIP data for Scottdale contains 39 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $1,858. 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>$1,600</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.