Sterling, VA: 1 Violation - Home Safety 77/100
5 ZIP codes · 2 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Sterling: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Looking at federal monitoring data for Sterling, VA: the city clears benchmarks set under the Safe Drinking Water Act with room to spare - recorded exceedances are rare, and the systems serving local households have not triggered any pattern of repeat deficiencies in recent cycles.
How Sterling Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Sterling Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 1 violation in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.001 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 31% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $2,560 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 9.74.
Water Systems Serving Sterling
Across Sterling, VA, residential water comes from 2 primary utilities rather than a single consolidated provider. Each system operates independently - managing its own distribution infrastructure, rate schedules, and EPA compliance filings. Federal records track 2 water systems in the area, with these top providers accounting for the majority of residential connections.
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 5 ZIP codes in Sterling, Virginia (population ~90,758), covering 2 community water systems serving approximately 1,456,421 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 3 of 5 ZIP codes.
3 of 3 ZIP codes 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 Sterling: B (77/100)
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
Sterling water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0010 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 3 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 1 (High Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 4 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 1 ZIP code
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 3 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20164 | C | 1 | 0 | Loudoun Water - Central System |
| 20165 | B | 1 | 0 | Loudoun Water - Central System |
| 20166 | B | 1 | 0 | Loudoun Water - Central System |
All ZIP Codes in Sterling
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.
CDC Health Data for Sterling
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
Key Contaminants Detected in Sterling
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Sterling's Housing Stock?
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
Roughly balanced between older and newer construction, Sterling shows a median build year of 1996 - a mid-range figure that places meaningful amounts of the residential inventory on both sides of the 1986 federal plumbing-solder ban.
Most homes in Sterling 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.
Sterling: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Because property values in Sterling comfortably exceed estimated remediation costs, the equity impact here is proportionally small.
Remediation costs in Sterling are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,640–$3,560 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 84% above the Virginia average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Sterling
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 citywide averages serving as the standard public reference point, those aggregates cannot resolve what is happening at one specific faucet - and where 31% of Sterling homes come from before the solder rule or where utility samples sit at or above the action mark, the gap between system data and faucet reality matters more than it does in lower-exposure communities. An in-home draw closes that gap, with certified filtration through retailer networks available where confirmed faucet results warrant additional measures.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for Sterling
Historical NFIP data for Sterling contains 68 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $26,016. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 50% 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>$2,560</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 Sterling, VA