Barboursville, WV Water Safety: 50/100 (2026)
1 ZIP code · 3 water systems · Updated 2026-06-03
Water systems serving Barboursville record elevated violation rates against WV benchmarks — residents in affected areas may want to check their local system's current compliance status.
How Barboursville Compares
Data: EPA SDWIS Last verified: 2026-06-03
What You Should Know About Barboursville Water
- Homes built before 1986: 61% — older plumbing may contain lead solder.
- Estimated remediation: $1,600 per household.
- CDC health risk index: 15.74 — above typical levels.
Who Supplies Your Water in Barboursville
3 independent water providers serve Barboursville, WV — 3 systems appear in federal records.
Overview
We track water quality and home safety data for 1 ZIP code in Barboursville, West Virginia (population ~12,197), covering 3 community water systems serving approximately 315,223 people region-wide.
No EPA violations recorded across any ZIP codes in Barboursville — an excellent indicator of water quality.
Home Safety Score
Average Home Safety Score for Barboursville: D (50/100)
The score combines three factors:
| Factor | What It Measures |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | EPA violations and compliance history |
| Lead Levels | 90th percentile lead concentration vs EPA action level |
| Radon Risk | EPA radon zone classification |
Water Sources
Barboursville water systems draw from: Surface water.
Lead & Copper
- Lead data: not yet available for Barboursville
- 0 ZIP codes 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.
Areas with No Violations
| ZIP Code | Safety Score | System | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25504 | D | WVAWC - HUNTINGTON DIST | 98,647 |
All ZIP Codes in Barboursville
- 25504 [D]
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
Updated daily.
Health Outcomes in Barboursville
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
Housing & Infrastructure in Barboursville
With 61% 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
When more than half a city's housing predates the 1986 federal ban on lead solder, plumbing-era lead risk becomes a citywide concern rather than an exception. Barboursville's median build year of 1971 places it squarely in that category.
Over half of homes in Barboursville 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 Barboursville Homeowners
In Barboursville, property wealth outpaces what documented remediation typically demands — the equity burden lands well within the low tier.
Remediation costs in Barboursville are relatively low compared to home values. The $800–$2,600 estimated range is a small fraction of median property value. Home values are 36% above the West Virginia average.
Lead Exposure Risk for Children in Barboursville
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 stock in Barboursville represents 61% of the inventory, and citywide monitoring runs at or above the federal action level — making an in-home read a standard household-level step.
Sources: EPA Lead and Copper Rule, U.S. Census Bureau ACS, CDC childhood lead poisoning prevention guidelines.
Flood & Climate Risk in Barboursville
The National Flood Insurance Program captures decades of claims at the local level, building a record of cumulative community flood exposure. For Barboursville, that record documents 78 claims and 100% of ZIP codes inside FEMA-designated flood zones. What makes those numbers relevant to water quality is the set of mechanisms flooding activates: heavy precipitation that floods treatment intake zones can introduce contaminants upstream of normal filtration; well casings in low-lying areas can be infiltrated by floodwaters carrying bacteria, sediment, and chemical residue; and distribution system pressure changes during flooding can create backflow conditions. These effects become more probable as flood frequency and magnitude increase — and the NFIP record indicates both are meaningful factors locally.
Barboursville has a moderate flood history with 78 FEMA claims averaging $16,428 per payout. 100% of ZIP codes fall within FEMA flood zones. Flood events can contaminate drinking water and overwhelm treatment systems.
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. Flood damage can add significantly to the estimated <strong>$1,600</strong> remediation cost per household.
Residents in flood-prone areas should consider flood insurance even outside FEMA zones — over 25% of flood claims come from low-to-moderate risk areas. After any flood event, test your water before drinking.
Source: FEMA National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) claims data, FEMA flood zone designations.
What You Can Do in Barboursville
- 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. An NSF-certified pitcher or under-sink filter removes most common contaminants.
- Check your home's plumbing. With 61% of homes built before 1986, lead solder is a real possibility.
- Review your water system's CCR. Your utility publishes an annual Consumer Confidence Report with detailed test results. Request it or find it online.
Deep Dive Reports
Detailed analysis for Barboursville, WV