Athens, TN: 7 Violations - Home Safety 64/100
2 ZIP codes · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Athens: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Across Athens, EPA compliance data for TN sits at a moderate level - not alarming, but not uniformly clean across all service areas either.
How Athens Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Athens Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 7 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $2,300 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 16.5 - above typical levels.
Athens's Water Providers
Athens, TN is covered by 3 major water utilities out of 5 federally tracked systems, each managing its own pipes, treatment processes, and EPA filings. What a household gets from the tap depends on which provider's system serves that address.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 2 ZIP codes in Athens, Tennessee (population ~25,226), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 50,967 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 2 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 Athens: C (64/100)
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
Athens water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 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)
- Zone 1 (High): 2 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 4 | 1 |
| Lead | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37303 | C | 7 | 0 | Athens Utilities Board |
All ZIP Codes in Athens
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.
Athens 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 Athens's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Athens
Within the Athens property market, documented remediation claims a moderate slice of typical equity - real but budgetable.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Athens. The estimated $1,500–$3,200 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 12% below the Tennessee average.
Athens: 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.
Lead risk in Athens appears low overall, but individual homes may differ. Testing is the only way to confirm your water's lead content.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Athens: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Athens contains 33 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $13,128. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 100% 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>$2,300</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 Athens
- 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 Surface Water Treatment Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Athens's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. Homes built before 1986 may have lead solder in pipes. A licensed plumber can assess your risk.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Athens, TN