Saint George, SC Water Safety: 73/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated 2026-06-03
Saint George tap water earns a high safety grade — above-average compliance with SC and federal standards.
How Saint George Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
What You Should Know About Saint George Water
- Homes built before 1986: 63% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.64 — above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Saint George
With one provider handling most of Saint George's residential supply in SC, water service accountability is concentrated in a single utility among the 1 system on record.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Saint George, South Carolina, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 6,949 people.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Saint George — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Saint George: B (73/100)
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
Saint George water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Saint George
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29477 | B | DCWS REEVESVILLE (SC1820002) | 300 |
All ZIP Codes in Saint George
- 29477 [B]
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.
Health Outcomes in Saint George
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). Water contamination can correlate with respiratory and chronic health conditions.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Housing & Infrastructure in Saint George
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
Decades of residential development in Saint George took place before the two main regulatory milestones that reduced plumbing-era lead risk: the phase-out of lead pipes before 1970, and the federal ban on lead solder in 1986. With a median build year of 1970, the housing stock here is anchored in that earlier period. The distinction between pre-1970 and 1970-to-1986 construction matters: the oldest homes may have lead pipes in the service line and lead solder in the copper joints, while the 1970-to-1986 tier still carries the solder risk even after lead pipes became less common. Together, these two risk layers affect a majority of the residential properties in the city — a fact the aggregate water quality data doesn't directly reveal.
Over half of homes in Saint George 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 Saint George Homeowners
At current valuations, Saint George 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.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Saint George. The estimated $800–$1,800 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 63% below the South Carolina average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Saint George
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.
Reading the local data together points toward a structural gap that matters more here than in low-exposure communities. 63% of Saint George stock comes from the pre-rule era, and citywide monitoring either approaches or sits beyond the federal benchmark under Lead and Copper Rule sampling. A baseline kit fits the routine-diligence category, with certified filtration available via retailer networks where confirmed faucet results warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Saint George
Flood history in Saint George spans 9 NFIP claims and 100% flood zone coverage — enough to place it in moderate-exposure territory where flood events are genuinely recurring rather than statistical outliers. That distinction matters for water quality assessment because the connection between flooding and water safety is not uniform across communities. In low-exposure areas, flooding rarely generates the conditions needed to compromise treatment or distribution infrastructure. In high-exposure areas, it can do so repeatedly. Moderate-exposure communities sit in between: flood events occur with enough frequency to make periodic infrastructure stress a reasonable concern, particularly for private well owners and residents in lower-elevation FEMA-designated zones.
Saint George has a moderate flood history with 9 FEMA claims averaging $10,243 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>$1,200</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Saint George, SC