Great Falls, VA: High Radon Risk — 45/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 2 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Water systems serving Great Falls record elevated violation rates against VA benchmarks — residents in affected areas may want to check their local system's current compliance status.
How Great Falls Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
Great Falls Water: The Quick Version
- Homes built before 1986: 55% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,000 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 9.75.
Water Systems Serving Great Falls
Residential addresses in Great Falls, VA are served by 2 primary water providers out of 2 systems in federal records. Each system maintains separate infrastructure and files its own EPA compliance reports, so service conditions are not uniform across the city.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Great Falls, Virginia (population ~16,884), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 1,456,421 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Great Falls — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Great Falls: D (45/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Great Falls water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Great Falls
- 0 ZIP codes exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22066 | D | FAIRFAX COUNTY WATER AUTHORITY | 1,121,613 |
All ZIP Codes in Great Falls
- 22066 [D]
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
Updated daily.
CDC Health Data for Great Falls
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
How Old Is Great Falls's Housing Stock?
With 55% 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
What does a median build year of 1985 mean for water safety in Great Falls? It means the majority of the city's residential plumbing was installed before 1986, when lead solder was federally banned, and a large share may predate 1970, when lead pipes were commonly used — making plumbing age a central variable in household-level lead risk across much of the city.
Over half of homes in Great Falls 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.
Great Falls: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Setting Great Falls 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 Great Falls are relatively low compared to home values. The $2,000–$4,100 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 295% above the Virginia average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Great Falls
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.
Pulling a tap sample fills the gap that utility data cannot close, particularly here where 55% of housing dates from the pre-rule era and citywide monitoring sits at or above the regulatory mark in Great Falls.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Climate-Related Water Risk for Great Falls
FEMA data shows 100% of Great Falls's ZIP codes mapped into designated flood zones, paired with an NFIP record of 34 claims. That footprint places local flood exposure in the range where it warrants attention without rising to high-severity planning territory.
Great Falls has a moderate flood history with 34 FEMA claims averaging $9,567 per payout. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$3,000</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
What You Can Do in Great Falls
- 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. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 55% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Great Falls, VA