Sycamore, PA: 10 Violations - Home Safety 80/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Sycamore: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Sycamore's tap water quality puts it in PA's upper tier - health-based violations are rare and the compliance record is consistently above average.
How Sycamore Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Sycamore Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 10 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0009 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 63% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Sycamore
Sycamore, PA draws its water from one primary utility across 1 tracked system.
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Sycamore, Pennsylvania (population ~683), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 40,200 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 Sycamore: B (80/100)
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
Sycamore water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0009 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
| Uranium | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15364 | B | 10 | 0 | Southwestern Pa Water Authority |
All ZIP Codes in Sycamore
- 15364 [B] - 10 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 Sycamore Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Sycamore
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
Sycamore's housing stock is predominantly older, with a median build year of 1973 that reflects decades of construction before federal plumbing standards were tightened. The 1986 ban on lead solder and the pre-1970 era of lead service lines are both relevant benchmarks here - a significant share of the residential inventory predates one or both of those cutoffs, creating an elevated baseline for plumbing-related lead risk that aggregate water quality data may not fully reflect at the household level.
Over half of homes in Sycamore 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 Sycamore Homeowners
In Sycamore, documented water and safety issues can be addressed without making a meaningful dent in home equity - the financial proportionality here is favorable, and the commitment fits within standard property planning frameworks.
Remediation costs in Sycamore are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 14% below the Pennsylvania average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Sycamore
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.
63% of Sycamore housing dates to the pre-rule era, alongside aggregate readings hovering at the federal action mark - household-level confirmation through a draw-test kit fits the local picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Sycamore
Historical NFIP data for Sycamore contains 18 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $11,744. 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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Sycamore, PA