CITY REPORT WA

Moses Lake, WA: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 50/100

1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated

ZipCheckup grade for Moses Lake: D.

Federal records show several conditions worth reviewing.

Treat the D-F grade for Moses Lake, WA as a summary of available data, not a measurement at your faucet.

How Moses Lake Compares

Moses Lake50/100
Washington avg86/100
National avg73/100

Data: EPA SDWIS

1
ZIP Codes
5
Water Systems
1
ZIPs Linked to Systems with Violations
D · 50
Avg Safety Score
Zone 2
County Radon Potential (Moderate)
$290K
Median Home Value
$600
Est. Remediation (0.2% of home value)

Key Facts for Moses Lake Residents

  • Your city's water systems recorded 57 violations since 2021.
  • Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0131 mg/L.
  • Homes built before 1986: 48% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
  • Estimated remediation: $600 per household.
  • Health risk index (ZipCheckup composite of CDC data): 12.63.

Moses Lake's Water Providers

When a city is linked to 5 water systems, as Moses Lake, WA is in federal records, water in one neighborhood may come from a different system than in another. The 3 systems with the largest reported populations are shown below, and their compliance records are kept separately, so a violation logged for one does not describe the others.

Overview

We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Moses Lake, Washington, covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 47,399 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 Moses Lake: D (50/100)

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

Moses Lake water systems draw from: Groundwater.

Lead & Copper

  • Average of reported 90th-percentile lead results: 0.0131 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

1 of 1 ZIP records with known zones is in EPA Radon Zone 2.

The EPA recommends testing all homes regardless of radon zone. County radon zones cannot replace an in-home radon test.

Top Contaminants

Contaminant Category Violations ZIPs Affected
Nitrate Inorganic 16 1
Revised Total Coliform Rule Microbiological 6 1
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene Organic 4 1
cis-1,2-Dichloroethylene Organic 4 1
Dichloromethane Organic 4 1

Areas with Most Violations

ZIP Code Safety Score Violations Health-Based System
98837 D 57 0 City of Moses Lake

All ZIP Codes in Moses Lake

  • 98837 [D] - 57 violations

Data Sources

Reporting periods vary by source. Missing data is shown as unavailable, not as zero.

Moses Lake Community Health Snapshot

10.8%
Asthma (US: 9.8%)
11.5%
Diabetes (US: 10.4%)
17.8%
Poor Mental Health (US: 14.8%)

Source: CDC PLACES (County-level estimates). County health indicators are shown for context only and are not linked to this area's water records.

Compared to National Average

Asthma 10.8% ↑
Diabetes 11.5% ↑
Mental Health 17.8% ↑

Vertical line = national average. ■ Above national · ■ Below national

What's in Moses Lake's Water?

Nitrate 16 violations
Inorganic · EPA regulatory level for the contaminant named above: 10 mg/L
Blue baby syndrome in infants
Revised Total Coliform Rule 6 violations
Microbiological
Indicates possible bacterial contamination
1,2,4-Trichlorobenzene 4 violations
Organic

Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.

Moses Lake Infrastructure Age

1982
Median Build Year
48%
Built Before 1986
26%
Built Before 1970
Copper
Likely Pipe Material

With 48% of homes built before 1986, lead solder in plumbing is a potential concern. Federal law banned lead solder in drinking-water plumbing in 1986, but many older homes retain original plumbing.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS).

Housing Age Profile

When a home in Moses Lake was built matters for lead because federal rules adopted in 1986 limited how much lead new plumbing could contain; the local median build year is 1982. A median sits in the middle of a range, so some homes are older and some newer, and past repairs may have changed the pipes in either group. A plumber can identify the materials inside a home, and a lab test measures what reaches the tap.

1982
Median Year Built
48%
Pre-1986 (lead solder era; lead paint banned 1978)
26%
Pre-1970 (Lead Pipes Risk)
Pre-1970 (26%) 1970–1986 (22%) Post-1986 (52%)

Most homes in Moses Lake were built after 1986; lead exposure at a tap still depends on its service line and plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.

How Remediation Costs Compare in Moses Lake

Compared with typical property prices, the remediation estimate for Moses Lake is small in percentage terms - at or under one percent.

Median Home Value
$290,000
Est. Remediation
$600
Remediation as % of home value 0.2%

Estimated remediation costs in Moses Lake can be compared with local home values. The $400–$800 estimated range can be set against the median property value; actual costs vary by home. Home values are 38% below the Washington average.

Moses Lake: Lead Risk & Vulnerable Populations

48%
Homes Built Before 1986
0.0131
mg/L average of reported water-system 90th-percentile lead results (the 0.015 action level applies to each system's result, not to this average)

Why children are most at risk: The CDC states that no safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Children under 6 absorb lead more readily than adults, and even low levels can cause developmental delays, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems.

Water systems' 90th-percentile values for lead, averaged over Moses Lake ZIP codes, reach 10 micrograms per liter or above; 48% of homes are older than 1986.

Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.

What You Can Do in Moses Lake

  1. Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. Consider testing your home's tap water for lead, since household plumbing can affect its level.
  2. Install a certified water filter. For Nitrate, listed in the water-quality records for Moses Lake: if it is a rule or reporting requirement rather than a contaminant, ask your utility what the record involved; for bacteria, follow any boil-water notice from your utility; for a specific chemical contaminant, check whether a filter is certified to reduce it. Not every contaminant has a consumer filter certification.
  3. Check your home's plumbing. With 48% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
  4. Review your water system's CCR. If you use a community water system, request its annual Consumer Confidence Report for system-level test results or find it online.

Deep Dive Reports

Detailed analysis for Moses Lake, WA

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Home Safety Score mean for Moses Lake, WA?
Moses Lake has an average Home Safety Score of 50/100 (Grade D) under ZipCheckup model 4.0.0, an area-level model that draws on EPA water compliance records, PFAS screening, EPA radon zones, and annual EPA air quality data; see the methodology page for how inputs and coverage are handled. 57 violations appear in EPA records for water systems mapped to these ZIP codes. Check individual ZIP code reports for component details.
How many violations are on record for water systems serving Moses Lake?
EPA records list 57 EPA violations for Moses Lake water systems. These water-system violations are shown for 1 mapped ZIP code.
Does Moses Lake water have lead?
The average of the reported 90th-percentile lead results across the ZIP codes of Moses Lake is 0.0131 mg/L. The EPA action level of 0.015 mg/L applies to each water system's own 90th percentile, not to this average. EPA's health goal for lead is zero. Lead levels can vary by home - testing is recommended especially in older properties.
How does Moses Lake compare to Washington average?
Moses Lake has an average Home Safety Score of 50/100, which is below the Washington state average of 86/100 for the same model series.
How many water systems serve Moses Lake?
Our records map 5 water systems to 1 ZIP code in Moses Lake. The related population figure in our data is approximately 47,399 people; it is not a count of people served citywide.
How much does it cost to fix water issues in Moses Lake?
Estimated remediation cost per household in Moses Lake: $600; modeled range $400 to $800. Estimated costs may include filtration, pipe replacement, radon mitigation, or flood protection where applicable.
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How to cite this page

APA ZipCheckup. (2026). Moses Lake, WA: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 50/100. https://zipcheckup.com/cities/wa/moses-lake/
BibTeX 
@misc{zipcheckup-cities-wa-moses-lake,
  author = {{ZipCheckup}},
  title  = {{Moses Lake, WA: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 50/100}},
  year   = {2026},
  url    = {https://zipcheckup.com/cities/wa/moses-lake/}
}

Page version: October 2026.

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