Summerville, SC: 14 Violations - Home Safety 78/100
4 ZIP codes · 8 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Summerville: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Compared to statewide averages in SC, Summerville scores well - health violations are below the norm and systems generally operate within federal standards.
How Summerville Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Summerville Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 14 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0035 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 26% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,250 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.67 - above typical levels.
Water Systems Serving Summerville
Throughout Summerville, SC, water comes from one of 3 primary utilities out of 8 total systems - independent providers with different rate structures, infrastructure, and compliance records that vary across the service territory.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 4 ZIP codes in Summerville, South Carolina (population ~164,613), covering 8 community water systems serving approximately 617,193 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 3 of 4 ZIP codes.
3 of 3 ZIP codes 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 Summerville: B (78/100)
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
Summerville water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0035 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 3 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 4 ZIP codes
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 9 | 2 |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 9 | 2 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 3 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 3 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 6 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29483 | — | 14 | 0 | Summerville Cpw (sc1810003) |
| 29486 | B | 12 | 0 | Bcwsa Sangaree W/d (0820002) |
| 29485 | — | 2 | 0 | Summerville Cpw (sc1810003) |
All ZIP Codes in Summerville
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 Summerville
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 Summerville
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Summerville's Housing Stock?
Housing age data helps assess potential lead pipe and infrastructure risks. Newer housing stock generally means lower plumbing-related contamination risk.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Copper plumbing joined with lead solder was standard practice through the mid-1980s - a design choice that federal regulators prohibited in 1986. Summerville's residential inventory, centered around a median build year of 2000, is weighted toward the post-prohibition era. That context is relevant because the primary plumbing risk in older homes comes not from the municipal water supply but from what happens as water moves through lead-jointed pipes inside the structure - an exposure pathway that newer homes mostly avoid.
Most homes in Summerville were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Summerville: Remediation Cost in Perspective
At current valuations, Summerville sits in the low remediation-share tier - the equity impact of fixing documented issues is proportionally minor.
Remediation costs in Summerville are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,400–$3,825 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 51% above the South Carolina average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Summerville
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.
26% of housing in Summerville predates the federal action against lead solder - a contained share - and aggregate readings stay beneath the regulatory benchmark. Lead therefore sits in a quiet position on the local water-quality picture, with single-home draws as the standard tool for confirming any one address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Summerville
Historical NFIP data for Summerville contains 461 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $25,423. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 67% 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>$2,250</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 Summerville, SC