Tower City, PA - Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Tower City Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 44 violations in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 86% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
Who Supplies Your Water in Tower City
Federal records list 2 water systems tied to Tower City, PA. Of those, 2 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Tower City, Pennsylvania, covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 3,222 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
Tower City water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Tower City
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contaminant 0700 | Other | 10 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2051 | Other | 4 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Contaminant 2005 | Other | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17980 | — | 44 | 0 | Tower City Borough Authority |
All ZIP Codes in Tower City
- 17980 - 44 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 Tower City Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Tower City
With 86% 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
Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Tower City - it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1941 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Tower City 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 Tower City Homeowners
Middle of the range - Tower City homeowners face a remediation share that calls for real financial attention without reaching crisis territory.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Tower City. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 40% below the Pennsylvania average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Tower City
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.
Older interior plumbing shapes the local picture: 86% of Tower City homes predate the federal solder ban, and aggregate sampling either approaches or crosses the action benchmark. That mix makes a single-home draw a standard pre-purchase or pre-occupancy step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Tower City
Historical NFIP data for Tower City contains 3 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $12,007. 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 Tower City, PA