Harlingen, TX: 29 Health Violations - Home Safety 58/100
4 ZIP codes · 8 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Harlingen: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Your top priority: consider a certified water filter (29 health violations on record). NSF certified filters →
Drilling into federal monitoring figures for Harlingen in TX, the pattern is middle-of-the-road - some utilities have documented MCL exceedances or treatment technique violations in recent years, while others have operated without a single flag, making the city's grade a genuine average rather than a rounded-down high.
How Harlingen Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Harlingen Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 94 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0008 mg/L.
- Estimated remediation: $2,275 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.2 - above typical levels.
Harlingen's Water Providers
Federal drinking water records identify 8 systems in Harlingen, TX. The leading 3 providers serve the largest share of residential connections, each operating as a separate entity with its own rate authority, infrastructure management, and EPA compliance obligations - so service conditions are not uniform city-wide.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 4 ZIP codes in Harlingen, Texas (population ~95,446), covering 8 community water systems serving approximately 318,757 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 4 ZIP codes.
2 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 29 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Harlingen: C (58/100)
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
Harlingen water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0008 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 2 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 4 ZIP codes
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 48 | 2 |
| Fecal Coliform | Microbiological | 33 | 2 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 21 | 2 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 18 | 2 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 16 | 2 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78552 | C | 59 | 17 | Harlingen Water Works System |
| 78550 | C | 55 | 15 | Harlingen Water Works System |
All ZIP Codes in Harlingen
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.
Harlingen 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 Harlingen's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Harlingen
For most Harlingen homeowners, estimated remediation represents a moderate equity share - manageable with planning.
Remediation costs are moderate relative to home values in Harlingen. The estimated $1,500–$3,525 range is manageable for most homeowners but still worth budgeting for. Home values are 32% below the Texas average.
Harlingen: 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 Harlingen 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.
Harlingen: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Harlingen contains 2,950 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $49,685. 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>$2,275</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 Harlingen
- 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 and Copper Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Harlingen'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 Harlingen, TX