Chattanooga, TN: 11 Violations - Home Safety 82/100
20 ZIP codes · 8 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Chattanooga: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Water systems in Chattanooga, TN serve households with few reported safety events.
How Chattanooga Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Water Quality Map: Chattanooga, TN
Each dot represents a ZIP code. Color indicates water quality grade. Tap a dot for details.
Score Distribution
How ZIP codes in Chattanooga score across all safety grades.
What You Should Know About Chattanooga Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 11 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0012 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 68% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,995 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.52 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Chattanooga
Federal records list 8 water systems tied to Chattanooga, TN. Of those, 3 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 20 ZIP codes in Chattanooga, Tennessee (population ~213,011), covering 8 community water systems serving approximately 383,248 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 15 of 20 ZIP codes.
4 of 15 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (27%) have recorded EPA violations. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Chattanooga: B (82/100)
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
Chattanooga water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0012 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 15 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 20 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 | 9 | 4 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 4 | 1 |
| Revised Total Coliform Rule | Microbiological | 4 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 37419 | B | 7 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37416 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37421 | B | 3 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
| 37415 | B | 1 | 0 | Tennessee American Water |
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37402 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37403 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37404 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37405 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37406 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37407 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37408 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37409 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37410 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
| 37411 | B | Tennessee American Water | 207,046 |
All ZIP Codes in Chattanooga
- 37401
- 37402 [B]
- 37403 [B]
- 37404 [B]
- 37405 [B]
- 37406 [B]
- 37407 [B]
- 37408 [B]
- 37409 [B]
- 37410 [B]
- 37411 [B]
- 37412 [B]
- 37414
- 37415 [B] - 1 violation
- 37416 [B] - 3 violations
- 37419 [B] - 7 violations
- 37421 [B] - 3 violations
- 37422
- 37424
- 37450
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 Chattanooga
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
Top Contaminants in Chattanooga Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Chattanooga
With 68% 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
Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Chattanooga - it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1963 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Chattanooga 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 Chattanooga Homeowners
For most homeowners in Chattanooga, the estimated cost of water and safety remediation represents a proportionally modest share of what properties are worth - placing this area in the lower tier of the remediation share scale.
Remediation costs in Chattanooga are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,040–$3,210 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 10% above the Tennessee average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Chattanooga
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.
68% - that captures the slice of Chattanooga housing dating from before the federal ban on solder containing lead. It pairs with aggregate utility readings that either approach or cross 0.015 mg/L, the benchmark set under the EPA Lead and Copper Rule. Together, the two figures shift one-home reads into a standard household-level confirmation, particularly for families with kids. A certified lead-removal filter is available through retailer-verified channels if a kit returns results that warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Chattanooga
Historical NFIP data for Chattanooga contains 1,517 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $22,060. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 75% 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>$1,995</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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Chattanooga, TN