Mercer Island, WA Home Safety: Home Safety 100/100
1 ZIP code · 1 water system · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Mercer Island: A.
No federal data flags a major home-safety concern for this ZIP.
Throughout Mercer Island and across its water systems, EPA compliance data for WA shows above-average performance - violations are minimal, none of the tracked systems have recorded repeated MCL exceedances in recent cycles, and the safety picture has held steady across multiple reporting periods.
How Mercer Island Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Mercer Island Residents
- Homes built before 1986: 67% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,200 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 8.82.
Mercer Island's Water Providers
As of current federal records, Mercer Island, WA is served primarily by one water utility among 1 tracked system. That single provider handles infrastructure investment, rate adjustments, and regulatory reporting under EPA oversight.
- A
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Mercer Island, Washington, covering 1 community water system serving approximately 25,282 people. 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 Mercer Island: 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
Mercer Island water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Mercer Island
- Lead action-level status: not available
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 3 (Low Risk)
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 98040 | A | City of Mercer Island | 31,057 |
All ZIP Codes in Mercer Island
- 98040 [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.
Mercer Island 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
Mercer Island Infrastructure Age
With 67% 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 standard in copper plumbing until federally banned in 1986; lead pipes were common in service lines pre-1970. Mercer Island's median build year of 1976 reflects a housing stock where these older materials are a pervasive feature - not a rare legacy - of the residential plumbing landscape.
Over half of homes in Mercer Island 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 Mercer Island
Given current Mercer Island valuations, the remediation-to-property-value ratio is low - most homeowners are looking at a proportionally modest share that fits within routine financial planning.
Remediation costs in Mercer Island are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$1,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 303% above the Washington average.
Mercer Island: 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.
Older stock in Mercer Island represents 67% of the inventory, and citywide monitoring runs at or above the federal action level - making an in-home read a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Mercer Island: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Mercer Island contains 13 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $19,430. 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>$1,200</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 Mercer Island, WA