Bennington, VT: 21 Violations - Home Safety 74/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Bennington: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Bennington tap water earns a high safety grade - above-average compliance with VT and federal standards.
How Bennington Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Bennington Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 21 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0132 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 81% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.78 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Bennington
In Bennington, VT, residential water supply is distributed across multiple utilities rather than concentrated in one. The 3 leading providers out of 5 tracked systems each control their own infrastructure, file separate EPA compliance reports, and set independent rate schedules.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Bennington, Vermont, covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 14,966 people. 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 Bennington: B (74/100)
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
Bennington water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0132 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 2 (Moderate Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 6 | 1 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 4 | 1 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Barium | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05201 | B | 21 | 0 | Bennington Water Department |
All ZIP Codes in Bennington
- 05201 [B] - 21 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 Bennington
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 Bennington Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Bennington
With 81% 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
Viewed through the lens of construction era, Bennington is predominantly an older city - a median build year of 1965 puts most of the residential inventory in the range where pre-1986 plumbing materials were the standard.
Over half of homes in Bennington 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 Bennington Homeowners
When estimated remediation is placed alongside median property values in Bennington, the resulting ratio is low - a finding consistent with a household financial perspective where documented issues can be addressed without a meaningful impact on overall equity position, making this market one of the more favorable contexts for remediation planning.
Remediation costs in Bennington are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 27% below the Vermont average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Bennington
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 81% of housing dates from the pre-rule era and citywide monitoring sits at or above the regulatory mark in Bennington.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Bennington
Historical NFIP data for Bennington contains 22 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $11,078. 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>$1,600</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 Bennington, VT