Wapato, WA: PFAS Found in Water - Home Safety 70/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Wapato: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Compared to statewide averages in WA, Wapato scores well - health violations are below the norm and systems generally operate within federal standards.
How Wapato Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
Key Facts for Wapato Residents
- Your city's water systems recorded 38 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0045 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 67% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.85 - above typical levels.
Wapato's Water Providers
Residential addresses in Wapato, WA are served by 3 primary water providers out of 5 systems in federal records. Each system maintains separate infrastructure and files its own EPA compliance reports, so service conditions are not uniform across the city.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Wapato, Washington (population ~12,935), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 19,624 people region-wide. 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. 1 health-based violation appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Wapato: B (70/100)
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
Wapato water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0045 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 16 | 1 |
| Lead | Inorganic | 8 | 1 |
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Barium | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
| PFOA | PFAS | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 98951 | B | 38 | 1 | Wapato Waterworks |
All ZIP Codes in Wapato
- 98951 [B] - 38 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.
Wapato 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
What's in Wapato's Water?
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Wapato 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
Wapato's housing stock is predominantly older, with a median build year of 1976 that reflects decades of construction before federal plumbing standards were tightened. The 1986 ban on lead solder and the pre-1970 era of lead service lines are both relevant benchmarks here - a significant share of the residential inventory predates one or both of those cutoffs, creating an elevated baseline for plumbing-related lead risk that aggregate water quality data may not fully reflect at the household level.
Over half of homes in Wapato 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 Wapato
Property equity in Wapato runs well ahead of estimated remediation costs - a cost-to-value ratio that sits in the low tier, meaning documented water and safety issues here are the kind homeowners can plan to address without treating the expense as a significant budget event relative to what their homes are worth.
Remediation costs in Wapato are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 54% below the Washington average.
Wapato: 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.
67% of Wapato housing dates to the pre-rule era, alongside aggregate readings hovering at the federal action mark - household-level confirmation through a draw-test kit fits the local picture.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Wapato: NFIP Claim Records and Water-Quality Context
Historical NFIP data for Wapato contains 16 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $6,460. 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 Wapato, WA