Spartanburg, SC: 3 Health Violations - Home Safety 83/100
8 ZIP codes · 9 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Spartanburg: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
For households in Spartanburg, SC water data shows a consistently above-average safety picture.
How Spartanburg Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Water Quality Map: Spartanburg, SC
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
Distribution of Home Safety grades across Spartanburg.
Spartanburg Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 4 violations in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 63% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,675 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.55 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Spartanburg
Across Spartanburg, SC, residential water comes from 3 primary utilities rather than a single consolidated provider. Each system operates independently - managing its own distribution infrastructure, rate schedules, and EPA compliance filings. Federal records track 9 water systems in the area, with these top providers accounting for the majority of residential connections.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 8 ZIP codes in Spartanburg, South Carolina (population ~118,501), covering 9 community water systems serving approximately 367,380 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 5 of 8 ZIP codes.
5 of 5 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Spartanburg: B (83/100)
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
Spartanburg water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0000 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 5 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 8 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 6 | 5 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29307 | B | 3 | 3 | Spartanburg Water System (sc4210001) |
| 29302 | B | 2 | 1 | Spartanburg Water System (sc4210001) |
| 29301 | B | 1 | 1 | Spartanburg Water System (sc4210001) |
| 29303 | B | 1 | 1 | Spartanburg Water System (sc4210001) |
| 29306 | B | 1 | 1 | Spartanburg Water System (sc4210001) |
All ZIP Codes in Spartanburg
- 29301 [B] - 1 violation ⚠
- 29302 [B] - 2 violations ⚠
- 29303 [B] - 1 violation ⚠
- 29304
- 29305
- 29306 [B] - 1 violation ⚠
- 29307 [B] - 3 violations ⚠
- 29319
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.
CDC Health Data for Spartanburg
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
Key Contaminants Detected in Spartanburg
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Spartanburg's Housing Stock?
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
Housing age is one of the most reliable proxies for plumbing-era lead risk, because two federal milestones - the widespread use of lead pipes before 1970 and the continued use of lead solder until 1986 - define the highest-risk tiers of the residential housing stock. With a median build year of 1976, Spartanburg falls squarely within the older range - meaning a large fraction of the housing was built under the plumbing standards of those earlier eras. The distribution above captures where that risk concentrates, and why older neighborhoods warrant particular attention from residents concerned about tap water quality.
Over half of homes in Spartanburg 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.
Spartanburg: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Given current Spartanburg valuations, the remediation-to-property-value ratio is low - most homeowners are looking at a proportionally modest share that fits within routine financial planning.
Remediation costs in Spartanburg are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,838 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 3% below the South Carolina average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Spartanburg
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 Spartanburg have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 63% 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 Spartanburg
Historical NFIP data for Spartanburg contains 98 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $23,723. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 33% 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>$1,675</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 Spartanburg, SC