Harrisburg, SD: High Radon Risk — 70/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Across Harrisburg, EPA monitoring data shows low violation rates and healthy safety margins — a pattern that places the city well above SD's average for drinking water compliance across recent reporting cycles.
How Harrisburg Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Key Facts for Harrisburg Residents
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 21% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $4,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.15.
Harrisburg's Water Providers
Federal drinking water records identify 4 systems in Harrisburg, SD. The leading 3 providers serve the largest share of residential connections, each operating as a separate entity with its own rate authority, infrastructure management, and EPA compliance obligations — so service conditions are not uniform city-wide.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Harrisburg, South Dakota (population ~9,558), covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 237,974 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Harrisburg — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Harrisburg: B (70/100)
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
Harrisburg water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 ZIP codes 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 57032 | B | Harrisburg | 10,297 |
All ZIP Codes in Harrisburg
- 57032 [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.
Harrisburg Community Health Snapshot
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
Harrisburg Infrastructure Age
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
Harrisburg's housing stock skews relatively recent, with a median build year of 2006. Homes constructed after 1986 avoid the lead-soldered copper joints that were standard before the federal ban — reducing aggregate risk from plumbing as a contamination pathway.
Most homes in Harrisburg 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Harrisburg
The household financial perspective in Harrisburg reflects a moderate cost-to-value ratio — an equity share that is not trivially small but remains within the range where most homeowners can address documented water and safety issues by treating the expense as a real line item in property planning rather than a discretionary one.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Harrisburg. The estimated $2,900–$6,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 69% above the South Dakota average.
Harrisburg: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations
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.
Even with citywide samples reading clean and just 21% of Harrisburg homes dating to the pre-rule era, individual-faucet conditions remain a separate question that aggregate utility data cannot resolve for one specific address. That gap is structural, not a function of severity.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Harrisburg: Flood History & Water Damage Risk
Flood activity in Harrisburg is neither negligible nor at the level of the highest-exposure areas in the NFIP dataset. The 9-claim record and 100% flood zone coverage suggest a community that has experienced recurrent events but has not faced the kind of sustained, severe exposure where water-supply contamination becomes a primary public health concern. It sits in a middle range where flood history merits inclusion in any complete local water quality picture.
Harrisburg has a moderate flood history with 9 FEMA claims averaging $108,148 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>$4,200</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 Harrisburg, SD