Whitehall, PA: 7 Violations - Home Safety 48/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Whitehall: D.
Several federal signals point to home-safety risks in this ZIP.
Your top priority: see the breakdown below and consider a certified water filter. NSF certified filters →
Across Whitehall, EPA compliance records fall well below PA averages - documented health-based violations affect multiple service areas, and the city's sustained low grade reflects a persistent pattern across reporting cycles.
How Whitehall Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Whitehall Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 7 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.007 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 75% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,000 per household.
Water Systems Serving Whitehall
With 3 utilities splitting service in Whitehall, PA, water accountability is distributed across 3 systems on the federal record.
- D
- D
- D
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Whitehall, Pennsylvania (population ~29,271), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 171,063 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 Whitehall: D (48/100)
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
Whitehall water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0070 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 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlorite | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 2 | 1 |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18052 | D | 7 | 0 | Northampton Boro Muni Authority |
All ZIP Codes in Whitehall
- 18052 [D] - 7 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.
Key Contaminants Detected in Whitehall
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Whitehall's Housing Stock?
With 75% 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 Whitehall - it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1962 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Whitehall 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.
Whitehall: Remediation Cost in Perspective
How does remediation fit within the broader financial picture for Whitehall homeowners? The equity share is moderate - large enough that treating it as a real planning consideration makes sense, and manageable enough that most homeowners have a clear path to addressing documented water and safety issues when they approach the commitment with deliberate advance budgeting rather than as an unplanned expense.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Whitehall. The estimated $2,000–$4,100 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 16% above the Pennsylvania average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Whitehall
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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Whitehall have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 75% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Whitehall
Historical NFIP data for Whitehall contains 62 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $13,559. 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>$3,000</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.
What You Can Do in Whitehall
- 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. Filters rated for Chlorite can reduce the most common contaminant found in Whitehall's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 75% 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 Whitehall, PA