Tornillo, TX: 6 Violations - Home Safety 89/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Tornillo: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Drinking water tracked for Tornillo by TX authorities posts above-average scores - the majority of systems are free from health-based exceedances and the city's grade sits above the state median.
How Tornillo Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Tornillo Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 6 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0018 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 34% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- CDC health risk index: 11.83.
Tornillo's Water Providers
Throughout Tornillo, TX, water comes from one of 3 primary utilities out of 3 total systems - independent providers with different rate structures, infrastructure, and compliance records that vary across the service territory.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Tornillo, Texas (population ~2,964), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 72,093 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 Tornillo: A (89/100)
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
Tornillo water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0018 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 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 4 | 1 |
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 79853 | A | 6 | 0 | El Paso County Tornillo Wid |
All ZIP Codes in Tornillo
- 79853 [A] - 6 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.
Tornillo 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 Tornillo's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Tornillo Infrastructure Age
Housing age data helps assess potential lead pipe and infrastructure risks. Newer housing stock generally means lower plumbing-related contamination risk.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).
Housing Age Profile
When trying to understand water quality at the household level, the year a home was built often matters more than any city-wide water report. That's because the 1986 federal ban on lead solder in plumbing, and the earlier phase-out of lead pipes before 1970, created sharp discontinuities in residential plumbing risk by construction era. Tornillo's median build year of 1994 puts the city in the transition zone: a substantial share of the housing stock postdates the solder ban, but a comparable fraction predates it - with the oldest homes carrying both the solder risk and the pipe risk simultaneously. Whether any individual household sits on the safer or riskier side of these thresholds is the key question, and it's one the city-wide median alone can't answer.
Most homes in Tornillo 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.
Tornillo: 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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Tornillo have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 34% 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.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Tornillo, TX