Gary, SD: High Radon Risk - Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Gary Water
- Average lead level: 0.013 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 59% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,500 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.24 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Gary
A single utility carries the primary residential water load in Gary, SD - the dominant provider across 1 federally tracked system.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Gary, South Dakota (population ~671), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 6,200 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Water Sources
Gary water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0130 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.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57237 | — | Brookings-deuel Rural Water System | 6,200 |
All ZIP Codes in Gary
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.
Health Outcomes in Gary
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 Gary
With 59% 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
While newer cities carry lower aggregate plumbing risk from lead-era construction, Gary sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1961 indicates that more than half the housing stock was built before 1986, when lead solder was still legally used in residential copper plumbing - and a substantial portion likely predates 1970, when lead pipes were still commonly installed for service lines. These two thresholds together define the elevated plumbing risk environment that older housing cities carry, independent of what the municipal water supply delivers to the meter.
Over half of homes in Gary 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 Gary Homeowners
Setting Gary remediation figures against its property market, the resulting ratio sits comfortably in the low tier - a classification that reflects the kind of household financial position where most homeowners can identify documented issues, schedule the work, and absorb the cost without it registering as a significant budget disruption.
Remediation costs in Gary are relatively low compared to home values. The $950–$2,100 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 12% below the South Dakota average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Gary
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.
Households with kids in the home - for whom CDC guidance places particular weight on minimizing exposure - face a specific local picture in Gary. 59% of homes here come from the pre-rule era, and aggregate utility samples either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L. A baseline draw-test kit and certified lead-removal filtration are available via retailer networks for households confirming conditions at a specific tap.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Gary, SD