Mercedes, TX: Lead Above EPA Action Level - Home Safety 75/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Mercedes: B.
This ZIP has a few items worth a quick check.
Your top priority: match a filter's certification to the violations (8 health-based violations). NSF certified filters →
In the dataset behind this page, Mercedes, TX receives one of the two highest grades; read the compliance history system by system for details.
How Mercedes Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Mercedes Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 67 violations since 2021.
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0156 mg/L. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L applies to each water system's own 90th percentile, not to this average.
- Homes built before 1986: 41% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,100 per household.
- Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 13.24.
Who Supplies Your Water in Mercedes
Multiple utilities show up for Mercedes, TX: 3 are listed here out of 5 tracked federally.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Mercedes, Texas (population ~33,596), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 240,984 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. 8 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Mercedes: B (75/100)
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
Mercedes water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0156 mg/L (exceeds EPA action level) (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 1 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
1 of 1 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 3.
The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 66 | 1 |
| Public Notice Rule | Reporting | 30 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Rule | Reporting | 20 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule Revisions | Treatment Technique | 8 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 6 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78570 | B | 67 | 8 | North Alamo Water Supply Corporation |
All ZIP Codes in Mercedes
- 78570 [B] - 67 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.
Health Outcomes in Mercedes
Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.
Compared to National Average
Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national
Top Contaminants in Mercedes Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Mercedes
With 41% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. Federal law banned lead solder in drinking-water plumbing in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
Check your utility's service line inventory as well as your home's build year; in Mercedes, where the median build year is 1998, both pieces help.
Most homes in Mercedes were built after 1986; lead exposure at a tap still depends on its service line and plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Mercedes Homeowners
Home prices in Mercedes and the estimated cost of addressing flagged issues produce a ratio in the 1-2% band; that places the city between the low and elevated tiers, and because both inputs are area estimates, the actual cost for a given home may be higher or lower.
Estimated remediation costs in Mercedes can be compared with local home values. The estimated $600–$2,300 range is a planning estimate; get a property-specific quote and check it against your budget. Home values are 63% below the Texas average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Mercedes
Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.
Water systems report 90th-percentile lead results; averaged across Mercedes ZIP codes, they come to more than 15 ppb, and 41% of homes predate 1986.
1 ZIP code (100% of the city's ZIP records) is served by a water system whose 90th-percentile lead result exceeds the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Mercedes
Historical NFIP data for Mercedes contains 522 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $32,596. 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 $1,100 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 Mercedes, TX