Bellingham, WA: 8 Violations - Home Safety 99/100
5 ZIP codes · 9 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Bellingham: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Bellingham's tap water quality puts it in WA's upper tier - health-based violations are rare and the compliance record is consistently above average.
How Bellingham Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Bellingham Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 8 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0051 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 49% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,940 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.72.
Water Systems Serving Bellingham
With 3 utilities splitting service in Bellingham, WA, water accountability is distributed across 9 systems on the federal record.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 5 ZIP codes in Bellingham, Washington (population ~130,013), covering 9 community water systems serving approximately 288,864 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 Bellingham: A (99/100)
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
Bellingham water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0051 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 3 (Low Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 5 ZIP codes
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 7 | 3 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 2 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 2 | 1 |
| E. coli | Microbiological | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98226 | A | 5 | 0 | City of Bellingham-water Division |
| 98229 | A | 3 | 0 | City of Bellingham-water Division |
| 98225 | A | 1 | 0 | City of Bellingham-water Division |
All ZIP Codes in Bellingham
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 Bellingham
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 Bellingham
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is Bellingham's Housing Stock?
With 49% 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
Lead solder was a standard plumbing material before 1986, when federal law prohibited its use in new residential construction. In Bellingham, the median build year of 1985 indicates that plumbing age is a material factor in local lead risk - with the pre-1986 share concentrated in specific neighborhoods and building types where older construction remains common.
Most homes in Bellingham 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.
Bellingham: Remediation Cost in Perspective
At current valuations, Bellingham sits in the low remediation-share tier - the equity impact of fixing documented issues is proportionally minor.
Remediation costs in Bellingham are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,340–$2,980 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 22% above the Washington average.
Protecting Children from Lead in Bellingham
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 49% of Bellingham 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 Bellingham
Historical NFIP data for Bellingham contains 122 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $42,067. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 40% 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>$1,940</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 Bellingham, WA