Appleton, WI: 6 Health Violations - Home Safety 80/100
6 ZIP codes · 11 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Appleton: B.
This ZIP looks solid, with a few items worth a quick check.
Your top priority: consider a certified water filter (6 health violations on record). NSF certified filters →
Looking at federal monitoring data for Appleton, WI: 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 Appleton Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Appleton Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 27 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.0094 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 58% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,283 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 12.21 - above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Appleton
Multiple utilities divide Appleton, WI's water service - 3 leading providers among 11 on the federal register.
- B
- B
- B
Overview
We track home safety data for 6 ZIP codes in Appleton, Wisconsin (population ~125,681), covering 11 community water systems serving approximately 195,734 people region-wide. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 4 of 6 ZIP codes.
4 of 4 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 6 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Appleton: B (80/100)
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
Appleton water systems draw from: Groundwater, Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0094 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 4 ZIP codes with known status exceed the EPA lead action level
Radon Risk
Dominant radon zone: Zone 2 (Moderate Risk)
- Zone 1 (High): 0 ZIP codes
- Zone 2 (Moderate): 6 ZIP codes
- Zone 3 (Low): 0 ZIP codes
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface Water Treatment Rule | Treatment Technique | 11 | 4 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 10 | 4 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 8 | 4 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 7 | 4 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 7 | 4 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54915 | — | 17 | 4 | Appleton Waterworks |
| 54913 | B | 10 | 1 | Appleton Waterworks |
| 54911 | B | 7 | 1 | Appleton Waterworks |
| 54914 | B | 7 | 1 | Appleton Waterworks |
All ZIP Codes in Appleton
- 54911 [B] - 7 violations ⚠
- 54912
- 54913 [B] - 10 violations ⚠
- 54914 [B] - 7 violations ⚠
- 54915 - 17 violations ⚠
- 54919
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.
Health Outcomes in Appleton
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
Top Contaminants in Appleton Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Appleton
With 58% 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
The character of Appleton's housing stock is one of deep historical layering - a median build year of 1980 signals a city built largely before the plumbing era changes of 1986 and 1970. Lead-soldered copper joints and, in the oldest properties, lead service lines are commonly present in this inventory. That context shapes what individual water testing may reveal, particularly in neighborhoods where the oldest housing is concentrated.
Over half of homes in Appleton 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.
Cost Context: What Remediation Means for Appleton Homeowners
Equity impact data for Appleton lands in the favorable tier - remediation claims a small slice of what properties here are worth.
Remediation costs in Appleton are relatively low compared to home values. The $583–$2,133 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 7% above the Wisconsin average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Appleton
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.
In recent monitoring under the Lead and Copper Rule, citywide samples for Appleton have approached or crossed the regulatory action level on multiple occasions. Combined with 58% of stock dating from the pre-rule era, the picture supports baseline single-tap reads as a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Appleton
Historical NFIP data for Appleton contains 25 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $11,355. 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>$1,283</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 Appleton, WI