Balmorhea, TX Home Safety: Home Safety Score unavailable
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Balmorhea Water
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 83% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $7,180 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.53 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Balmorhea
Water service in Balmorhea, TX is organized around a single utility - one of 1 tracked by regulator, and the one that manages the local distribution network while holding primary responsibility for EPA compliance reporting.
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Balmorhea, Texas (population ~589), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 2,001 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Water Sources
Balmorhea water systems draw from: Groundwater.
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 2 (Moderate 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 79718 | — | Madera Valley Water Supply Corporation | 2,001 |
All ZIP Codes in Balmorhea
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 Balmorhea
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
Housing & Infrastructure in Balmorhea
With 83% 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
Plumbing risk in older housing is defined by two eras: the pre-1970 period when lead pipes were commonly used for service lines, and the 1970-to-1986 period when lead solder remained standard in copper plumbing until the federal ban. Balmorhea's median build year of 1951 lands in a range where both eras are heavily represented in the housing stock. That creates an elevated aggregate environment for plumbing-related lead exposure - one that city-level water quality averages don't capture, because the risk sits inside individual properties rather than in the distribution system.
Over half of homes in Balmorhea 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 Balmorhea Homeowners
Given that Balmorhea falls in the elevated cost-to-value tier, the equity impact of documented remediation is a real financial planning challenge for most homeowners.
At 12.1% of home value, remediation costs in Balmorhea represent a significant financial burden. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $4,420–$10,740. Home values here are 74% below the Texas average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Balmorhea
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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Balmorhea have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 83% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Balmorhea
Historical NFIP data for Balmorhea contains 2 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $1,020. 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>$7,180</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 Balmorhea, TX