Temple, PA: High Radon Risk — 40/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Temple ranks below average for tap water safety in PA — health-based violations are documented across multiple service areas in recent EPA monitoring data.
How Temple Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Temple Water: The Quick Version
- Homes built before 1986: 76% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,000 per household.
Water Systems Serving Temple
In Temple, PA, residential water supply is distributed across multiple utilities rather than concentrated in one. The 2 leading providers out of 2 tracked systems each control their own infrastructure, file separate EPA compliance reports, and set independent rate schedules.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Temple, Pennsylvania (population ~9,544), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 116,100 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Temple — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Temple: D (40/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Temple water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Temple
- 0 ZIP codes 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.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 19560 | D | Muhlenberg Twp Muni Authority | 21,000 |
All ZIP Codes in Temple
- 19560 [D]
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
Updated daily.
How Old Is Temple's Housing Stock?
With 76% 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
Viewed through the lens of construction era, Temple is predominantly an older city — a median build year of 1968 puts most of the residential inventory in the range where pre-1986 plumbing materials were the standard.
Over half of homes in Temple 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.
Temple: Remediation Cost in Perspective
In Temple, the equity share of documented remediation is meaningful enough to move the household financial perspective from routine maintenance into deliberate budgeting territory — the cost-to-value ratio is moderate, and most homeowners benefit from mapping the full scope against available budgets before committing.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Temple. The estimated $2,000–$4,100 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 17% below the Pennsylvania average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Temple
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.
Practically, the structural drivers in Temple — 76% pre-rule stock and citywide monitoring at or beyond the regulatory benchmark — make an in-home draw the practical way to translate aggregate averages into the specific conditions at one address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Temple
Flood activity in Temple is neither negligible nor at the level of the highest-exposure areas in the NFIP dataset. The 76-claim record and 100% flood zone coverage suggest a community that has experienced recurrent events but has not faced the kind of sustained, severe exposure where water-supply contamination becomes a primary public health concern. It sits in a middle range where flood history merits inclusion in any complete local water quality picture.
Temple has a moderate flood history with 76 FEMA claims averaging $10,994 per payout. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$3,000</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
What You Can Do in Temple
- 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. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 76% 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 Temple, PA