Eau Claire, WI: 2 Health Violations - Home Safety 61/100
3 ZIP codes · 4 water systems · Updated
ZipCheckup grade for Eau Claire: C.
A mixed picture - some signals here are worth your attention.
While Eau Claire avoids WI's lowest safety tiers, a portion of its water systems have logged documented violations.
How Eau Claire Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS
What You Should Know About Eau Claire Water
- Your city's water systems recorded 15 violations in the past 5 years.
- Average lead level: 0.002 mg/L.
- Homes built before 1986: 65% - older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,800 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 11.29.
Who Supplies Your Water in Eau Claire
Federal records list 4 water systems tied to Eau Claire, WI. Of those, 3 are the primary providers, meaning service conditions, rate structures, and compliance histories can differ depending on where a property sits.
- C
- C
- C
Overview
We track home safety data for 3 ZIP codes in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, covering 4 community water systems serving approximately 85,370 people. The EPA snapshots used for this build directly map water systems to 2 of 3 ZIP codes.
2 of 2 ZIP codes with a reported violation count in the available EPA record (100%) have recorded EPA violations. 2 health-based violations appear in the available health breakdown.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Eau Claire: C (61/100)
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
Eau Claire water systems draw from: Groundwater.
Lead & Copper
- Average lead level (90th percentile): 0.0020 mg/L (EPA action level: 0.015 mg/L)
- 0 of 2 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): 3 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stage 1 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 6 | 2 |
| Stage 2 DBP Rule | Treatment Technique | 5 | 2 |
| Lead and Copper Rule | Treatment Technique | 5 | 2 |
| Total Trihalomethanes (TTHM) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
| Haloacetic Acids (HAA5) | Disinfection Byproducts | 2 | 1 |
Areas with Most Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | Violations | Health-Based | System |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 54703 | C | 10 | 2 | Eau Claire Waterworks |
| 54701 | C | 7 | 1 | Eau Claire Waterworks |
All ZIP Codes in Eau Claire
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 Eau Claire
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 Eau Claire Water
Based on EPA violation records. Check your ZIP code report for system-specific contaminant data.
Housing & Infrastructure in Eau Claire
With 65% 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
Pre-1986 plumbing is not a rare legacy case in Eau Claire - it's the dominant profile. The median build year of 1975 indicates a housing stock where lead-soldered copper joints are a common structural feature of residences across the city.
Over half of homes in Eau Claire 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 Eau Claire Homeowners
Because property values in Eau Claire comfortably exceed estimated remediation costs, the equity impact here is proportionally small.
Remediation costs in Eau Claire are relatively low compared to home values. The $933–$2,800 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 15% above the Wisconsin average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Eau Claire
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 interior plumbing shapes the local picture: 65% of Eau Claire homes predate the federal solder ban, and aggregate sampling either approaches or crosses the action benchmark. That mix makes a single-home draw a standard pre-purchase or pre-occupancy step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Historical NFIP Claim Context in Eau Claire
Historical NFIP data for Eau Claire contains 60 flood insurance claims. Among claims with payment data, the average reported building, contents, and ICC component sum is $10,817. 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>$1,800</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 Eau Claire
- 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 1 DBP Rule can reduce the most common contaminant found in Eau Claire's water.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 65% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Eau Claire, WI