Watertown, SD: 4 Violations - Home Safety 65/100
1 ZIP code · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Watertown: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Safe water is the norm across most of Watertown, SD - but documented violations push the city to the middle safety tier.
How Watertown Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Watertown Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 4 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.004 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 54% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,400 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.43 - above typical levels.
Watertown's Water Providers
3 water utilities share the residential service territory in Watertown, SD - out of 4 total systems in federal records.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Watertown, South Dakota, covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 26,375 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
1 of 1 ZIP code 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 Watertown: C (65/100)
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
Watertown water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0040 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.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
| Gross Alpha | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
| Combined Radium | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
| Gross Beta | Radionuclides | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57201 | C | 4 | 0 | Watertown Municipal Utilities |
All ZIP Codes in Watertown
- 57201 [C] - 4 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.
Watertown 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
What's in Watertown's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Watertown Infrastructure Age
With 54% 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, Watertown sits firmly in the older category. The median build year of 1988 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 Watertown 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Watertown
Is remediation financially manageable for Watertown homeowners? At a moderate equity share, generally yes - with deliberate budgeting ahead of time.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Watertown. The estimated $1,600–$3,300 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 28% above the South Dakota average.
Watertown: 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.
Although utility-side compliance with federal Lead and Copper requirements remains the system reference, that compliance does not extend down into interior plumbing. With 54% of Watertown stock built before the solder ban and aggregate readings at or beyond the action mark, a household-level sample becomes the practical way to close that information gap.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Watertown: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Watertown contains 462 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $16,508. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% 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>$2,400</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.
What You Can Do in Watertown
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Lead can reduce the most common contaminant found in Watertown's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 54% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Watertown, SD