Mercedes, TX: Lead Above EPA Limits - Home Safety 75/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Mercedes: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Your top priority: consider a certified water filter (8 health violations on record). NSF certified filters →
Tap water monitoring data for Mercedes shows a consistently clean picture in TX - few violations on record, compliance well above the median.
How Mercedes Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Mercedes Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 67 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0156 mg/L - exceeds the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 41% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,900 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.24 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Mercedes
Federal drinking water records identify 5 systems in Mercedes, 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.
- 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 lead level (90th percentile): 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
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 66 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 30 | 1 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 20 | 1 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 8 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | 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). 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 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. 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
Prohibited from residential plumbing since 1986, lead solder divides Mercedes's housing stock along a timeline that the median build year of 1998 straddles. A meaningful share of homes predates the ban - a configuration that places moderate aggregate pressure on plumbing-related lead risk, distributed unevenly across neighborhoods.
Most homes in Mercedes were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Mercedes Homeowners
Property values and remediation costs in Mercedes combine to produce a high equity share - the financial burden here is significant.
At 3.5% of home value, remediation costs in Mercedes represent a significant financial burden. For homes valued near the median, fixing water and safety issues could cost $1,800–$4,800. Home values here are 63% below the Texas average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Mercedes
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.
Despite Lead and Copper Rule oversight at the utility tier, citywide samples in Mercedes have moved beyond 0.015 mg/L - and 41% of local stock predates the ban on solder containing lead. The high-pre-1986 share combined with above-action samples leaves an in-home test and certified filtration via retailer networks as the household-tier tools, available for families with kids or pregnant residents. Periodic retesting after plumbing work or extended stagnation captures changes the initial draw cannot.
<strong>1 ZIP code</strong> (100% of the city) exceeds the EPA lead 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 <strong>$2,900</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 Mercedes, TX