South Padre Island, TX: 1 Violation - Home Safety 91/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for South Padre Island: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Across South Padre Island, EPA monitoring data shows low violation rates and healthy safety margins - a pattern that places the city well above TX's average for drinking water compliance across recent reporting cycles.
How South Padre Island Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About South Padre Island Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Homes built before 1986: 57% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,700 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 13.2 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in South Padre Island
With one provider handling most of South Padre Island's residential supply in TX, water service accountability is concentrated in a single utility among the 1 system on record.
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in South Padre Island, Texas (population ~2,881), covering 1 community water system serving approximately 46,674 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. The available record reports no health-based violations for this measured scope.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for South Padre Island: A (91/100)
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
South Padre Island water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0000 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 | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 78597 | A | 1 | 0 | Laguna Madre Water District |
All ZIP Codes in South Padre Island
- 78597 [A] - 1 violation
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 South Padre Island
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 South Padre Island Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in South Padre Island
With 57% 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
Federal plumbing rules changed in two stages - lead pipes were phased out before 1970, and lead solder was banned in 1986 - but in South Padre Island, where the median build year is 1985, most of the housing was already in place before those rules took effect. The materials installed under older standards remain embedded in a substantial portion of the residential inventory today.
Over half of homes in South Padre Island 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 South Padre Island Homeowners
Setting South Padre Island remediation figures against its property market, the resulting ratio sits comfortably in the low tier - a classification that reflects the kind of household financial position where most homeowners can identify documented issues, schedule the work, and absorb the cost without it registering as a significant budget disruption.
Remediation costs in South Padre Island are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,100–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 123% above the Texas average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in South Padre Island
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.
Locally, 57% of South Padre Island homes carry interior plumbing from the era when lead solder was still permitted in new builds, and citywide monitoring approaches or crosses the EPA action benchmark. Households can find a draw-test kit and certified filtration through verified retailers.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in South Padre Island
Historical NFIP data for South Padre Island contains 1,135 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $14,675. 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>$1,700</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 South Padre Island, TX