Summerville, SC: 14 Violations - Home Safety 78/100
4 ZIP codes · 8 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Summerville: B.
This ZIP has a few items worth a quick check.
Looking at federal compliance records for Summerville, SC: the city earns a grade in the top two bands here, and each serving system's violation history can be reviewed individually for what lies behind it.
How Summerville Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Summerville Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 14 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0035 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 26% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $500 per household.
- Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 12.67.
Water Systems Serving Summerville
The 3 largest of 8 systems connected with Summerville, SC are listed below.
- 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 of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 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
4 of 4 ZIP records with known zones are in EPA Radon Zone 3.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 9 | 2 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 9 | 2 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 3 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 3 |
| Chlorine | Disinfectant | 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
- 29483 - 14 violations recorded for mapped water systems
- 29484
- 29485 - 2 violations recorded for mapped water systems
- 29486 [B] - 12 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.
CDC Health Data for Summerville
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.
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
Housing age is a rough starting point, not an answer. Summerville has a median build year of 2000, but any single home may be older or newer than that figure, may have had plumbing replaced, or may still have original fixtures. Lead can also come from a service line or older brass fittings, so a water test or a check of the utility's service line inventory says more about one address than the citywide build year does.
Most homes in Summerville were built after 1986; lead exposure at a tap still depends on its service line and plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Summerville: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Low tier for Summerville: remediation estimated at up to 1% of what homes are worth.
Estimated remediation costs in Summerville can be compared with local home values. The $300–$800 estimated range can be set against the median property value; actual costs vary by home. Home values are 51% above the South Carolina average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Summerville
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
26% of the Summerville housing stock dates from before 1986, the year Congress limited lead in pipes, solder and flux. Water systems report lead as the 90th percentile of their tap samples, and the average of those results across the city's ZIP codes is below 0.010 mg/L. Because lead in drinking water usually comes from corrosion of a building's own service line and plumbing, that average cannot stand in for a single 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 $500 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