De Forest, WI: 3 Health Violations - Home Safety 60/100
1 ZIP code · 5 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for De Forest: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
Drilling into federal monitoring figures for De Forest in WI, the pattern is middle-of-the-road - some utilities have documented MCL exceedances or treatment technique violations in recent years, while others have operated without a single flag, making the city's grade a genuine average rather than a rounded-down high.
How De Forest Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
De Forest Water: The Quick Version
- Your city's water systems recorded 10 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.006 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 45% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $3,000 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 10.18.
Water Systems Serving De Forest
De Forest, WI draws its residential water from 3 separate providers among the 5 federally tracked systems. Each operates independently, with its own infrastructure, rate structure, and compliance record.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 1 ZIP code in De Forest, Wisconsin (population ~16,286), covering 5 community water systems serving approximately 70,403 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. 3 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for De Forest: C (60/100)
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
De Forest water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0060 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 1 (High Risk)
The EPA recommends testing homes in Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas for radon.
Top Contaminants
| Contaminant | Category | Violations | ZIPs Affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 4 | 1 |
| Consumer Confidence Report Rule | Reporting | 4 | 1 |
| Nickel | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
| Lead | Inorganic | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53532 | C | 10 | 3 | Deforest Waterworks |
All ZIP Codes in De Forest
- 53532 [C] - 10 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.
CDC Health Data for De Forest
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
Key Contaminants Detected in De Forest
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
How Old Is De Forest's Housing Stock?
With 45% 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
Some cities skew heavily toward one construction era; De Forest does not. The median build year of 1981 reflects a housing stock where older and newer homes share the market in meaningful proportions. That mixed profile means the city carries moderate aggregate plumbing-era risk - with older homes, particularly those built before 1986, representing the portion of the stock where lead-soldered joints may still be present.
Most homes in De Forest were built after 1986, reducing the risk of lead contamination from plumbing. Older homes should still be tested.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS B25034.
De Forest: Remediation Cost in Perspective
Setting De Forest remediation figures against its property market, the resulting ratio sits comfortably in the low tier - a classification that reflects the kind of household financial position where most homeowners can identify documented issues, schedule the work, and absorb the cost without it registering as a significant budget disruption.
Remediation costs in De Forest are relatively low compared to home values. The $2,000–$4,000 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 54% above the Wisconsin average.
Protecting Children from Lead in De Forest
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.
If 45% of the De Forest inventory comes from before the federal ban on lead-bearing solder - and if utility samples sit at or near 0.015 mg/L - the gap between citywide averages and one specific faucet becomes a practical concern rather than a theoretical one. That is why one-home reads exist as a separate measurement. A certified filter through retailer networks addresses confirmed exposure where it appears in a household.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical Flood-Claim Evidence for De Forest
Historical NFIP data for De Forest contains 14 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $43,298. 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>$3,000</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.
What You Can Do in De Forest
- Test your water at home. City-level data shows averages - your tap may differ. NSF-certified test kits cost $20-40 and give results in days.
- Install a certified water filter. Filters rated for Stage 2 DBP Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in De Forest's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 45% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for De Forest, WI