Long Beach, WA: Lead Above EPA Limits - Home Safety 100/100
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Long Beach: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Looking at federal monitoring data for Long Beach, WA: 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 Long Beach Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Long Beach Residents
- Average lead level: 0.02 mg/L - exceeds the EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 60% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 15.07 - above typical levels.
Long Beach's Water Providers
With 3 utilities splitting service in Long Beach, WA, water accountability is distributed across 3 systems on the federal record.
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Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Long Beach, Washington (population ~3,468), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 15,478 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 1 of 1 ZIP codes.
The available EPA record reports 0 violations for 1 ZIP code with a reported violation count.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Long Beach: A (100/100)
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
Long Beach water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0200 mg/L (exceeds EPA action level) (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 1 of 1 ZIP code with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98631 | A | Long Beach Water Department | 4,628 |
All ZIP Codes in Long Beach
- 98631 [A]
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.
Long Beach 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
Long Beach Infrastructure Age
With 60% 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
Housing age is one of the most reliable proxies for plumbing-era lead risk, because two federal milestones - the widespread use of lead pipes before 1970 and the continued use of lead solder until 1986 - define the highest-risk tiers of the residential housing stock. With a median build year of 1973, Long Beach falls squarely within the older range - meaning a large fraction of the housing was built under the plumbing standards of those earlier eras. The distribution above captures where that risk concentrates, and why older neighborhoods warrant particular attention from residents concerned about tap water quality.
Over half of homes in Long Beach 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.
How Remediation Costs Compare in Long Beach
Because property values in Long Beach comfortably exceed estimated remediation costs, the equity impact here is proportionally small.
Remediation costs in Long Beach are relatively low compared to home values. The $1,200–$2,500 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 28% below the Washington average.
Long Beach: 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.
Reading the local data together produces a single household-level picture for Long Beach. The 60% pre-rule housing share - that is, the share of buildings constructed before federal rules removed lead solder from new plumbing - combines with citywide utility readings beyond the regulatory action level. The two indicators run in parallel here. An in-home draw produces the household-specific information that aggregate data cannot, and a certified filter via retailer networks is the standard intervention where confirmed results warrant it.
<strong>1 ZIP code</strong> (100% of the city) exceeds the EPA lead action level of 0.015 mg/L.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Long Beach: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Long Beach contains 2 flood insurance claims. Among ZIP codes with claim records, 0% 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>$1,800</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 Long Beach, WA