Balch Springs, TX: 1 Health Violation - Home Safety 71/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Balch Springs: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
In current tracking cycles, Balch Springs records above-average water quality outcomes for TX; compliance history over recent years shows few departures from federal standards and no systemic failures across its water systems.
How Balch Springs Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Balch Springs Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 6 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0014 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 54% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,700 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.84.
Water Systems Serving Balch Springs
Balch Springs, TX draws its residential water from 3 separate providers among the 3 federally tracked systems. Each operates independently, with its own infrastructure, rate structure, and compliance record.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Balch Springs, Texas (population ~27,006), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 1,536,799 people region-wide. 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. 1 health-based violation appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Balch Springs: B (71/100)
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
Balch Springs water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0014 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 3 (Low Risk)
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 6 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 75180 | B | 6 | 1 | City of Balch Springs |
All ZIP Codes in Balch Springs
- 75180 [B] - 6 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.
CDC Health Data for Balch Springs
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
Key Contaminants Detected in Balch Springs
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Balch Springs's Housing Stock?
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
Reading the housing age data for Balch Springs - median build year 1986 - the overriding implication is that the plumbing materials inside a typical home here reflect pre-1986 construction standards. In practical terms, that means lead-soldered copper joints are common across much of the housing stock. Where those materials are present, water can leach lead as it moves through joints - a pathway that corrosion control treatment under federal rules is designed to reduce, though it cannot eliminate lead risk where the plumbing materials themselves contain lead.
Over half of homes in Balch Springs 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.
Balch Springs: Remediation Cost in Perspective
The Balch Springs equity share sits above the low tier but short of the range where remediation becomes a heavy financial burden - the cost-to-value ratio is moderate, and deliberate planning is the key practical lever for most homeowners.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Balch Springs. The estimated $1,750–$3,900 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 9% below the Texas average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Balch Springs
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.
Practically, the structural drivers in Balch Springs - 54% pre-rule stock and citywide monitoring at or beyond the regulatory benchmark - make an in-home draw the practical way to translate aggregate averages into the specific conditions at one address.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Balch Springs
Historical NFIP data for Balch Springs contains 133 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $34,611. 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>$2,700</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 Balch Springs, TX